Torches  Aloft 


By 

William  Melvin  Bell,  D.D, 


Twelve  Years  a  Pastor,  Two  Years 
Superintendent  of  Indiana  Sunday- 
School  Association  and  Editor  of  the 
State  Paper,  Twelve  Years  General 
Secretary  for  Home  and  Foreign 
Missions,  Eleven  Years  Editor  of 
the  Search  Light,  now  Serving  in 
his  Third  Consecutive  Quadrennium 
as  Bishop  of  the  Pacific  District; 
Author  of  "The  Love  of  God"  and 
"The  Social  Message  of  Our  Lord." 


1914 

THE  OTTERBEIN  PRESS 
DAYTON,  OHIO 


Copyright  1914,  by 

The  United  Brethren  Publishing  House 

Dayton,  Ohio 


ebicateb  to  flje  g>tate  of  California, 
flje  commontoealtf)  of  mp  citi^en- 
sljip  for  nine  ebentful  pears;, 
commontoealtfj,  Untfj  an  abonno= 
ing  generosity,  Ijas  afforbeb  magnificent 
ebucational  institutions  in  tofjid)  most  of 
mp  cfjilor en  IjaD e been  ebttcateb,  in  tofjidj 
some  of  tljem  notu  serbe,  in  tutiictj  a 
beboteb  toife,  cljilbren,  an  ageb  mother, 
an  onlp  s'urbiuing  brotljer,  fjabe  con= 
tfittitcb  to  a  ijomc  life,  tije  memorp  of 
luijictj  toill  be  foreber  ijallotoeb;  luijerc 
s'unnp  gUies;  anb  faboring  climates 
fjeal,  anb  manp  frienbsf  gibe  jop, 
natural  toonbers  in  a  most 
bartetp  excite  perpetual  praise  to 
^llmigfjtp  4lob;  toijere  citizens!  are  un= 
afraib  to  leab  ttje  toap  in  progreggibe 
gobernmental  ibeate  anb  enactments, 
tutjcre  toealtlj  toatts  on  inbus'trp,  anb 
toljere  a  migfjtp  empire,  noto  in  ttje 
ruggeb  gtrugglefi  of  itJS  malting,  pro= 
posed  to  beal  bountifullp  anb  jus'tlp 
ttjttfj  tlje  sons  anb  baugfjters  of  men. 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  messages  of  this  modest  volume  have 
been  given  to  many  public  assemblages 
throughout  the  United  States  in  the  form 
of  sermons,  lectures,  and  addresses,  in  the 
immediate  past.  They  have  been  given  under  the 
auspices  of  chautauquas,  brotherhoods,  clubs, 
church  conventions,  and  various  other  organiza- 
tions and  occasions.  The  hearers  have  been  both 
gracious  and  hearty  in  expressing  appreciation  and 
urging  this  added  publicity.  The  author  submits 
the  product  with  a  keen  sense  of  the  inadequacy  of 
his  efforts,  but  begs  all  readers  to  consider  that  the 
subjects  treated  have  profound  interest  to  the  writer 
and  that  his  deepest  heart  has  been  embodied  in  the 
output.  In  very  truth  a  new  Americanism  is  athand ; 
a  new  righteousness  is  demanded  in  every  process 
and  institution  of  our  American  life.  The  Church, 
as  the  embodiment  organically  of  the  Kingdom  of 
God,  is  face  to  face  with  a  challenge  at  home  and 
abroad  such  as,  in  the  judgment  of  the  writer,  has 
no  parallel  in  history.  The  author  believes  with 
greater  firmness  and  intensity  than  ever  in  the  ade- 
quacy of  the  Christ  evangel  as  the  leaven  by  which 
our  entire  social  fabric  is  to  be  elevated,  purified 
and  conserved.  Our  civilization  is  about  ready  to 
accept  a  new  vitalization  by  Christ  as  Savior  and 
Lord.  We  are  growing  surfeited  with  our  mate- 
rialism and  a  revival  of  interest  in  spiritual  values 


and  development  may  now  be  surely  and  rapidly 
promoted.  An  adequate  leadership  never  had  such 
an  opportunity  as  now  in  Church  and  State.  The 
demand  for  social  justice  and  a  new  social  efficiency 
is  now  all  but  dominating.  The  Church  must  accept 
the  challenge  to  a  new  emphasis  on  genuineness  and 
social  interest.  From  altars  at  which  she  will  offer 
herself  in  complete  self-dedication  she  must  arise 
mantled  in  power  and  fling  herself  into  the  front 
line  battles  for  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  so- 
cially. It  shall  be  hers  to  reincarnate  the  sacrificial 
life  and  project  it  in  the  spiritual  conquest  of  all 
mankind.  The  author  earnestly  hopes  and  prays 
that  the  contents  of  this  volume  may  contribute  in 
some  humble  measure  to  arousing  every  reader  to  a 
deeper  and  diviner  passion  for  the  setting  forward 
of  our  twentieth  century  civilization  towards  the 
glorious  efficiency  of  which  our  prophets  have  had 
a  vision  and  our  great  leaders  in  Church  and  State 
are  now  forth  telling. 

THE  AUTHOR. 

227  West  51st  Street, 
Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
February  12,  1914. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter 

I. 

II. 

III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 
XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 

XIX. 

XX. 
XXI. 

XXII. 
XXIII. 

XXIV. 
XXV. 

XXVI. 
XXVII. 


Page 
1 

10 
19 

of 
28 
37 


Torches   Aloft         - 
Age  Tendencies      - 
Leadership  —  The    Ministry 
Co-operation     in     the     Christianization 

America 

Whence  the  Ills  of  Humanity? 
Current  Changes  and  the  Religious  World  49 
One  Religion  For  All  Men  -  -  58 
Religion  and  Social  Reform  67 

The  Upward   Pull  of  Christianity  73 

Democracy   and  Government         -         -  80 

The   Present  Social  Urgency         -         -  94 

Socialism     and      Capitalism  108 

Significant  Developments  in  the   Commer- 
cial World  131 
The  Coming  Catholicism       -  140 
Some   Modern   Fallacies  147 
The  Early  Church  and  Social  Welfare         155 
The  Church  in  Social  Progress     -         -         163 
The  Aims  of  Christ  180 
Christ's  Method  For  an   Efficient  Hu- 
manity              -----         190 

Three  Giants  197 

Some  Things  That  Are  Being  Overlooked 


in  Current  Thinking 
The  Virtues  of  Religious  People 
Some  Faults  of  Religious  People 
Objectives  of  Religious  People     • 
The  Perils  of  Religious  People     • 
Some    Modern    Incongruities 
Awakening  America 


214 
225 
240 
249 
261 
274 
285 


I. 


TORCHES  ALOFT. 

From  a  remote  past  the  torch  has  served  as  a 
symbol  both  of  illumination  and  destruction.  The 
torch  aloft  is  a  symbol  of  kindly  and  constructive 
ministries.  Torches  lowered  have  always  been 
ominous  of  cruelty  and  devastation.  The  army, 
the  incendiary,  and  the  mob  have  used  the  torch  as 
the  instrument  of  destruction.  The  choicest  treas- 
ures of  art,  the  hard-earned  accumulations  of  a 
life  time,  every  kind  of  material  good,  yea,  even  hu- 
man life  itself,  all  these  have  gone  down  before  the 
fell  destroyer  at  the  instance  of  human  passion. 
The  torches  of  hate  and  cruelty  have  figured  far 
too  largely  in  the  history  of  mankind  and  they  can- 
not disappear  too  soon.  It  is  disappointing  to  be 
compelled  to  know  that  human  hands  have  at  any 
time  been  employed  in  wielding  the  torches  of  per- 
secution and  death.  It  is  indeed  high  time  that 
"peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  men"  should  em- 
body the  temper  of  all  mankind- 
Trie  torches  of  redemptive  and  redemptive-social 
truth  are  the  only  ones  that  justify  human  use  and 
interest.  There  is  one  supreme  duty  for  all  men  and 
nations,  and  that  is  the  holding  aloft  of  the  torches 
of  illumination  and  beneficence  until  all  the  dark 
places  of  the  earth  are  lighted.  The  night  of  the 


2  Torches  Aloft 

race  shall  pass,  for  the  rays  of  the  Great  Luminary 
have  long  contended  with  the  appalling  darkness. 
Of  the  Savior-Lord  it  has  been  said,  "He  lighteth 
every  man  coming  into  the  world."  The  essential 
and  universal  illuminations  that  flow  from  Christ 
are  being  better  understood  as  the  evolution  of 
mankind  moves  onward.  In  the  realm  of  human 
hope  and  progress  he  is  the  Day  Spring  from  on 
high.  He  alone  can  and  does  vitalize  the  funda- 
mental processes  of  human  advancement.  His  life 
is  generic  and  his  headship  of  the  race  is  a  most 
blessed  and  significant  fact.  It  is  the  plan  of  God 
that  all  responsible  beings  shall  serve  as  sub-lumi- 
naries taking  light  for  their  torches  from  Christ, 
the  Light  of  the  world.  Torches  lighted  from  him 
are  readily  identified  for  they  reflect  their  glorious 
author  and  the  likeness  is  unmistakable.  "Let  your 
light  so  shine."  "Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world." 
"Among  whom  ye  shine  as  lights  in  the  world." 
The  human  obligation  for  identification  with  Christ 
in  the  task  of  universal  enlightenment  is  the  most 
urgent  duty  and  neglect  here  is  treason  to  the  moral 
government  of  God.  This  identification  is  also  the 
most  exalted  privilege  in  any  human  career.  It 
gives  zest  and  a  beneficent  mission.  No  responsi- 
bility so  weighty  and  none  with  such  abundant  and 
satisfying  rewards.  Questions  of  character,  view- 
point, and  intelligence  are  all  involved  in  this 
statement.  It  behooves  us  all  to  approach  this 
challenge  seriously  and  penitently.  The  God- 
lighted  life  is  needed  everywhere. 


Torches  Aloft  3 

The  absence  of  humane  ministries  and  tempers 
in  modern  civilization  is  greatly  to  be  deplored. 
It  seems  almost  impossible  that  the  inhuman  ten- 
dencies should  yet  survive  as  they  do.  It  appears 
to  be  necessary  to  make  far  more  extensive  and  per- 
sistent effort  to  give  the  human  mind  the  intelli- 
gence, and  the  human  soul  the  power  and  aptness 
for  acting  agreeable  to  the  intelligence  when  it 
shall  be  attained,  that  all  processes  and  actions  in- 
spired by  hate  are  costly  beyond  all  estimate.  War 
is  hell,  according  to  a  noted  military  leader  and  yet 
the  world  will  have  more  of  it.  The  economic  waste 
of  indulgence  in  the  common  expressions  of  hate 
and  malice  are  beyond  estimate  and  yet  our  civili- 
zation has  not  sufficient  self-control  to  act  accord- 
ing to  the  fact. 

Individual  character  has  always  been  important, 
but  in  this  age  of  non-isolation  and  social  com- 
mingling it  is,  if  possible,  more  important  than  ever. 
An  evil  minded  man  can  be  more  hurtful  and  the 
high  minded  man  more  helpful  than  in  any  previous 
age.  Proximity  always  raises  numerous  questions 
that  are  scarcely  thought  of  in  remoteness.  Indi- 
vidual sources  of  evil  contagion  are  now  subject  to 
serious  and  vigorous  attention  such  as  no  former 
age  ever  witnessed.  If  a  mad  dog  is  within  reach  of 
a  single  individual,  his  prompt  dispatch  is  justified, 
but  even  more  so  when  he  is  within  reach  of  a  hun- 
dred people.  It  follows  logically  that  in  the  present 
unprecedented  social  relationship  the  quality  of  the 
individual  character  must  be  a  matter  of  growing 


4  Torches  Aloft 

concern.  The  agencies  for  securing  high-grade  indi- 
vidual character  must  exercise  upon  themselves  an 
unsparing  introspection.  These  agencies  are  charged 
with  the  duty  of  bringing  to  the  character  problem 
an  adequate  efficiency.  The  hindrances  to  efficiency 
must  be  noted  and  eliminated  as  nearly  as  may  be. 
The  methods  and  occasions  of  approach  must  be 
studied  in  a  progressive  spirit  and  the  necessary 
program  carried  forward  at  any  cost.  Solicitude, 
intercession,  adapted  approach,  patient  contact,  are 
all  in  order  in  behalf  of  those  who  are  missing  the 
way. 

The  efforts  in  behalf  of  general  intelligence  are 
quickening  as  they  should  and  must  if  we  are  to 
witness  the  divine  fulfillment  in  human  destiny. 
The  need  of  education  is  too  apparent  to  require  ar- 
gument, and  progress  is  now  rapid  because  of  the 
general  interest  and  co-operation.  Religion  affords 
the  appropriate  atmosphere  and  the  befitting  mo- 
tive for  education.  The  resultant  moral  control 
alone  can  guarantee  that  the  process  shall  not  be  in 
vain.  The  rapidly  increasing  social  responsibility 
makes  the  demand  for  training  as  a  prerequisite  for 
a  noble  career  all  the  more  imperative.  Men  must 
know  if  they  are  to  do,  and  the  quality  of  their 
being  determines  the  character  and  utility  of  their 
doing.  All  the  human  activities  are  but  so  many 
reflections  of  character.  The  relation  of  knowledge, 
character,  and  service  is  intimate  and  vital.  Gen- 
uine religion  is  all  determining  as  to  character. 


Torches  Aloft  5 

Education  and  intelligence  condition  efficiency  and 
point  of  view. 

With  the  American  emphasis  on  the  individual 
it  is  becoming  very  evident  that  not  only  individ- 
uals but  corporations,  institutions,  and  organiza- 
tions of  every  kind  that  have  to  do  with  our  civili- 
zation must  modify,  in  conformity  with  a  growing 
humaneness  and  social  equity.  There  is  a  growing 
protest  against  so  many  lives  being  submitted  to 
scant  requitals  of  toil,  to  inevitable  disappointment, 
and  social  disaster.  Human  life  as  compared  to  all 
material  possession  and  wealth,  is  to  be  exalted  just 
ahead  as  never  before.  Industrialism,  as  one  of  the 
institutions  of  civilization,  will  inevitably  accept  the 
social  and  humanitarian  viewpoint,  and  business 
shall  be  made  to  contribute  first  of  all  to  the  needs 
of  humanity.  Business  for  the  elevation  and  com- 
fort of  the  rank  and  file,  rather  than  for  the  great 
wealth  of  a  few  individuals,  is  a  genuine  and  wor- 
thy demand. 

A  lack  of  passion  for  universal  human  welfare 
is  in  far  too  large  a  measure  characteristic  of  the 
modern  commercial  and  financial  world.  Effort  to- 
ward a  change  in  this  respect  is  most  compelling. 
For  many  of  the  good  and  merciful  rewards  of  hu- 
man life  the  world  has  waited  patiently.  A  rea- 
sonable measure  of  comfort  in  life  is  a  just  expecta- 
tion for  all  right-minded  people  in  this  age  of 
abounding  wealth  and  bounty.  All  the  processes 
and  ideals  of  our  industrialism  should  concede  this 
expectation  as  normal  and  this  conception  should 


6  Torches  Aloft 

attemper  capital  through  and  through.  This  is  the 
twentieth  century  with  the  date  line  determined 
by  the  advent  of  the  Friend  of  man  into  the  world. 
He  would  have  us  cast  out  the  harsh  and  cruel  from 
the  institutions  of  civilization.  To  be  sure  progress 
in  this  direction  is  being  made  and  any  other  than 
a  hopeful  view  would  not  conform  to  the  facts.  The 
temper  of  our  industrialism  is  gradually  changing 
for  the  better.  On  the  other  hand  he  would  indeed 
be  stupid  who  did  not  observe  that  there  exists  a 
strong  reactionary  opposition  to  the  now  well-ad- 
vanced social  and  industrial  reform.  Some  cruel, 
unjust,  and  unhumanized  tendencies  and  methods 
survive,  and  these  must  be  laid  bare  unsparingly. 
The  world  must  have  more  heart,  more  sympathy, 
more  disinterestedness,  and  far  less  of  the  unwar- 
ranted ambition  for  material  gain  accruing  to  the 
individual,  out  of  all  proportion  to  any  individual 
ability  to  use  sanely  and  justly. 

If  we  mistake  not,  the  modern  mind  is  increas- 
ingly earnest  for  the  modification  of  the  hardened 
mind.  The  acquiring  of  almost  unlimited  wealth 
by  any  individual  is  being  seriously  challenged,  as 
it  should  be.  Beyond  a  modest  sum,  no  individual 
or  family  has  a  real  or  legitimate  need.  Touching 
this  whole  matter,  a  lot  of  unwholesome  and  un- 
Christian  thinking  has  obtained.  Abnormal  wealth 
at  the  command  of  any  one  individual  confers  alto- 
gether too  much  power  and  constitutes  a  social  and 
economic  menace.  It  is  athwart  the  will  of  an  all- 
wise  God,  who  has  specifically  warned  against  the 


Torches  Aloft  7 

result  upon  the  owner.  What  great  wealth  as  a 
rule  does  with  men,  is  worthy  of  fresh  study  and 
serious  attention.  We  believe  the  time  is  near  when 
men  will  have  far  less  desire  than  now  for  the  accu- 
mulating and  hoarding  of  a  colossal  fortune. 

It  is  not  only  a  question  of  what  effect  the  great 
fortune  has  upon  the  individual,  but  we  are  coming 
to  know  that  every  such  large  accumulation  under 
present  methods  is  at  a  deplorable  sacrifice  of  count- 
less human  lives.  It  is  written  of  the  Christ  that, 
"though  he  was  rich  yet  for  our  sakes  he  became 
poor  that  we  through  his  poverty  might  become 
rich."  We  do  not  hear  in  these  days  of  many  rich 
people  voluntarily  becoming  poor  that  the  poor  may 
become  even  comfortable.  It  is  clear  that  the  great 
individual  fortune  inevitably  abridges  the  fortunes 
of  others  and  yet  this  phase  of  our  industrialism  has 
gone  on  almost  unchallenged.  There  has  been  scant 
thought  as  to  how  it  might  be  otherwise.  If  such 
a  price  as  this  from  the  many  must  be  paid  for  the 
large  individual  accumulation,  then  it  ought  not  be 
wondered  at  that  a  vigorous  pronouncement  and 
protest  is  rising  against  such  social  injustice.  It 
is  a  legitimate  inquiry  as  to  whether  one  may  in- 
dulge in  these  enormous  fortunes  without  being 
hardened  as  to  the  fearful  cost  at  which  the  fortune 
is  secured.  There  is  something  about  the  process 
of  amassing  large  wealth  which  blinds  the  mind 
and  freezes  the  heart.  Christ  made  it  very  clear 
that  riches  are  not  only  undesirable  but  the  positive 
occasion  of  guilt.  It  is  not  improbable  that  society 


8 


will  soon  assert  the  right  to  limit  the  individual  for- 
tune and  compel  the  vast  individual  wealth  of  the 
world  to  yield  in  a  sane  way  to  such  methods  as  will 
insure  a  more  equitable  distribution.  In  this  mat- 
ter the  state  will,  in  all  probability,  accept  a  duty 
and  assume  a  function  which  until  now  it  has  never 
taken  upon  itself.  A  new  viewpoint  is  becoming 
more  and  more  prevalent  among  thoughtful  and 
rightminded  people.  It  would  indeed  be  deplorable 
if  civilization  should  at  last  rend  itself  in  conten- 
tion over  the  very  wealth  which  by  its  ingenuity 
and  skill  it  has  created.  Much  of  modern  conten- 
tion and  irritability  grows  out  of  the  struggle  for  a 
more  universal  and  just  distribution  of  the  commod- 
ities which  the  world  is  now  producing.  The  hu- 
man mind  has,  in  many  respects,  manifested  a 
strange  obtuseness  as  is  evidenced  in  the  fact  that 
the  Golden  Rule  has  usually  been  derided  whenever 
any  genuine  application  of  it  to  the  commercial 
world  has  been  suggested.  Goodness  has  often  been 
pronounced  impractical,  and  brilliant  wickedness  ap- 
plauded. All  this  in  face  of  the  fact  that  nothing  in 
the  universe  is  so  impractical  as  evil.  Evil,  indulged 
and  obstinate,  resulted  in  the  American  Civil  War, 
and  to-day  seventy  per  cent,  of  our  taxes  are  spent 
on  war  pensions  and  war  preparations.  The  out- 
put of  the  slums  of  civilization  is  becoming  such  an 
economic  menace  that  in  sheer  self-protection  the 
municipalities  are  being  driven  to  the  problem  of 
their  elimination.  Christian  righteousness  is  the 
most  constructive  force  in  the  world.  The  con- 


Torches  Aloft  9 

science  makers  of  a  nation  are  its  greatest  economic 
benefactors.  In  the  long  run  counterfeit  foods  are 
quite  as  destructive  as  counterfeit  dollars.  Adul- 
terated foods  should  have  no  better  standing  than 
adulterated  dollars.  Both  capital  and  corporations 
are  now  being  punished  for  past  misdeeds.  Organ- 
ized injustice  and  self-interest  can  never  obliterate 
justice  nor  pass  as  a  constructive  force  in  civiliza- 
tion. We  must  have  higher  standards  for  business 
conduct.  The  square  deal  is  an  economic  as  well 
as  a  moral  demand. 


II. 


AGE  TENDENCIES. 

The  civilized  world  lias  become  accustomed  to 
the  round-the-world  traveler,  but  it  is  doubtful  if 
we  know  how  largely  national  ideals  are  affected  by 
this  abundant  and  constant  intercommunication. 
The  man  who  travels  extensively  finds  himself  pass- 
ing from  the  provincial  to  the  cosmopolitan  in  his 
sympathy,  interest,  and  outlook.  He  becomes  a 
world  citizen.  The  present  generation  has  been  ac- 
cused of  having  the  "wanderlust."  There  is  such  a 
thing  as  yielding  to  the  temptation  to  go  from  place 
to  place  and  pander  to  one's  desire  for  change  of 
scene  and  society  at  the  expense  of  deep-rooted  and 
efficient  life.  When  one  travels  he  inevitably  read- 
justs his  viewpoint  on  many  things.  All  the  social 
institutions  to  which  he  has  been  accustomed  in 
early  years  naturally  have  preference  in  his  think- 
ing and  estimate.  However,  as  he  comes  to  study 
distant  races  and  nations,  if  he  be  fairminded  and 
alert,  he  drifts  to  certain  universal  sympathies  in 
spite  of  the  grip  of  early  environment.  His  ideals 
are  modified  and  indeed  all  that  goes  to  make  up 
his  essential  life  feels  the  tendency  and  obligation 
of  change.  When  mankind  mix  by  the  processes  of 
travel,  the  movement  is  toward  harmony  and  unifi- 
cation. The  essentials  are  likely  to  appear  in  bold 
relief,  while  the  non-essentials  fade  into  competi- 
tive importance. 


Age  Tendencies  11 

Another  characteristic  of  the  age  is  the  marvelous 
discovery  and  command  of  natural  resources.  Every- 
thing on  the  earth,  under  the  earth,  and  in  the  air,  is 
being  approached  with  the  passion  of  development 
and  utilization.  Secret  forces  are  being  discovered 
and  chambers  hitherto  locked  are  being  opened. 
Productivity  of  every  kind  is  being  augmented. 
This  tendency  is  so  universal  that  it  affects  all  the 
sources  from  which  the  race  draws  sustenance  and 
gives  to  life  its  richness  of  content.  As  long  as 
man  articulates  with  the  earth  he  is  bound  to  be 
powerfully  affected  by  the  material  developments 
to  which  he  is,  for  the  time,  related.  No  sooner  are 
the  resources  of  nature  made  available  to  the  use  of 
man  than  the  tendency  to  monopolize  them  for  com- 
mercial advantage  appears.  It  is  the  history  of 
capital  that  its  eyes  are  ever  open  to  the  possession 
of  standard  commodity  with  a  sharp  tendency  to- 
ward the  fixing  of  arbitrary  values.  This  offensive 
tendency  often  annuls  the  social  advantage  of  mar- 
velous discoveries  and  makes  it  impossible  for  na- 
ture's resources  to  serve  human  comfort  in  anything 
like  an  equitable  way.  The  standards  of  living  are 
constantly  rising  and  it  follows  that  our  children 
begin  where  we  leave  off.  What  was  luxury  to 
parents  becomes  necessity  to  children.  All  this  has 
a  profound  bearing  on  every  phase  and  issue  of  life. 
As  the  mastery  of  man  over  nature  extends,  com- 
pelling the  surrender  of  nature's  bounty  to  utiliza- 
tion for  the  comfort  and  progress  of  man,  the  per- 
plexity of  the  problem  of  just  distribution  presses 


12  Torches  Aloft 

for  solution.  As  we  elevate  the  ideals  of  the  indi- 
vidual we  necessarily  foster  an  insistence  for  indi- 
vidual opportunity  and  thrift.  So  it  is  fair  to  say 
that  man  is  growing  more  and  more  self-conscious 
and  increasingly  earnest  as  to  his  rights  in  any 
given  environment. 

Another  phase  of  the  age,  which  is  worthy  of  our 
study,  is  the  rapid  increase  in  transit  speed.  Both 
individuals  and  commodities  are  now  hurried  to  and 
fro  in  such  brief  time  that  we  think  of  space  as  not 
particularly  related  to  human  will  and  plan.  All  this 
gives  added  value  to  life  and  to  every  commodity 
associated  with  life.  Thought  is  quickened,  issues 
arise  and  reach  a  stage  of  acute  development  in  un- 
expectedly short  periods  of  time,  while  great  causes 
make  their  way  to  victory  within  a  single  genera- 
tion. The  world  does  not  need  to  wait  so  long  for 
reforms  to  ameliorate  human  conditions.  It  is  not 
in  the  mood  of  waiting  so  long.  Within  a  brief 
period  gigantic  evils  are  removed  and  triumphs  long 
sought  and  patiently  waited  for  are  secured.  Lack 
of  progress  in  the  direction  of  desirable  betterment 
hangs  like  a  pall  on  the  human  heart.  Any  attain- 
able good,  too  long  postponed,  crushes  hope  and  di- 
minishes effort.  The  human  pulses  quicken  and  the 
life  horizons  brighten,  as  the  world  becomes  con- 
scious of  speedy  changes  for  the  better.  It  is  a 
great  encouragement  to  all  laudable  human  effort 
that  life  ripens  and  achievement  hastens  and  con- 
summates more  rapidly  than  ever  before.  The  race 
has  always  been  humbled  by  the  fact  of  the  brevity 


Age  Tendencies  13 

of  life,  but  now,  since  all  human  processes  are 
quickening,  the  encouragement  to  noble  effort  is  in- 
spiring. Every  one  now  expects  to  make  life  worth 
while.  No  one  gives  up  to  hopelessness,  nor  to  the 
feeling  that  fine  life  programs  are  idle  dreams.  Into 
this  splendid  enrichment  of  life  no  jar  or  discord 
comes,  save  as  they  may  arise  from  persistent  hu- 
man perversity.  It  is  most  disappointing,  but  sadly 
true,  that  man's  most  relentless  and  harrowing  en- 
emy is  his  own  fellow  man.  May  the  God  of  all 
grace  and  transformation  hear  us  when  we  pray  that 
all  this  may  be  speedily  changed.  The  spirit  of  the 
age  is  demanding  that  men  so  modify  and  attemper 
their  evil  passions  as  to  remove  all  fear  of  evil  as 
between  man  and  man. 

The  world  is  in  the  mood  of  expecting  all  persons 
to  manifest  a  humaneness  and  brotherly  genuine- 
ness which  will  serve  to  encourage  the  rising  tide 
of  hope  for  large  and  comforting  achievement  in 
the  humblest  career.  The  age  of  brotherhood  and 
good  will  must  be  nearing  even  while  the  world 
prays  and  weeps.  It  must  be  so,  for  it  is  in  the  heart 
of  the  Savior  of  mankind  that  it  shall  be  so.  Amen 
and  Amen. 

Another  age  characteristic  that  is  of  great  inter- 
est, is  the  wide  prevalence  of  social  and  industrial 
restlessness.  This,  in  effect,  is  of  great  note  as  evi- 
dence of  the  growing  desire  shared  by  all  civilized 
people  for  better  conditions  in  the  earth  life.  How- 
ever inspiring  it  may  be  to  look  forward  to  the  fu- 
ture for  ultimate  rewards,  it  is,  nevertheless,  a  mat- 


14  Torches  Aloft 

ter  worthy  of  approval,  that  all  men  and  women  arc 
living  in  the  expectation  of  bettering  their  condi- 
tions here  and  now.  Whatever  presumes  to  oppose 
the  current  movement  for  present  betterment,  must, 
therefore,  expect  to  give  battle  and  finally  to  go 
down.  We  reckon  on  the  interest  and  power  of 
Almighty  God  in  care  for  human  life  beyond  the 
grave,  and  indeed  the  gospel  involves  all  that,  but 
we  can  quite  as  certainly  reckon  on  the  divine  will 
and  interest  being  back  of  all  effort  for  a  better 
world  here  and  now.  Mankind  has  often  seriously 
overlooked  the  sacred  claims  of  the  bit  of  life  that 
lies  on  this  side  of  the  grave.  Indifference  to  its 
sacred  rights  must  always  be  costly  to  those  who 
indulge  in  such  indifference  as'  well  as  to  those  who 
are  wronged  by  it.  Social  restlessness  is  not,  there- 
fore, an  occasion  for  reget,  for  it  is  the  reflection  of 
a  most  hopeful  social  vitality.  The  outcome  of  the 
struggles  that  emanate  from  it  is  very  certain  to  be 
good  and  increasingly  good.  At  bottom,  the  world 
moves  irresistibly  toward  better  things. 

Many  forces  in  civilization  appear  to  be  slipping 
away  from  restraint  and  control.  There  is  an  ele- 
ment of  peril  here,  but  the  danger  is  voidable. 
There  are  tendencies  toward  some  forms  of  social 
disruption.  We  evidently  face  the  alternative  of 
humane  and  equitable  readjustment  or  of  violent 
upheaval.  If  our  leaders  shall  be  over-conservative 
and  attempt  unduly  to  suppress  every  movement  of 
the  progressive  kind,  we  shall  soon  reach  the  crisis 
of  a  radical  demand.  Conservatism  needs  always 


Age  Tendencies  15 

to  have  this  fact  in  mind.  It  appears  to  be  alto- 
gether better  for  those  who  need  to  make  conces- 
sions in  behalf  of  the  general  welfare  to  do  so 
without  awaiting  the  compulsions  of  radicalism. 
Reasonable  and  certain  progress  in  the  establishing 
of  equity  in  the  industrial  and  economic  world,  will 
satisfy  the  average  mind,  but  the  great  middle  class 
will  no  longer  be  trifled  with  or  duped.  He  miscal- 
culates the  temper  of  the  people  who  reckons  that 
persistent  effort  in  opposition  to  reform  and  social 
justice  will  not  provoke  protest  and  even  reprisal. 
The  Savior-power  and  compassion  are  entering  into 
the  social  conscience  and  even  so  unsentimental  an 
institution  as  industrialism  must  reflect  and  exalt  the 
fact.  The  plans  of  God  are  not  to  miscarry  and  they 
have  in  view  universal  progress  and  betterment. 
These  plans  are  sometimes  delayed  by  human  ob- 
duracy and  cupidity,  but  they  cannot  be  annulled. 
The  kingdom  of  God  has  been  set  for  the  improved 
social  order,  so  the  movement  is  ever  coming  to  the 
final  goal. 

The  moral  government  of  God  has  always  been  a 
factor  in  the  life  of  mankind.  As  sure  as  the  great 
verities  cannot  be  cancelled,  as  sure  as  God  is  the 
creator  and  preserver  of  all  things,  so  surely  does  he 
assert  his  power  and  character  in  the  moral  govern- 
ment of  the  race.  There  are  times  in  human  his- 
tory when  the  children  of  men  apparently  lose  sight 
of  fundamental  righteousness,  and  when  that  over- 
looking cannot  be  checked  in  any  other  way  it  is 
the  prerogative  of  God  to  release  his  wrath.  It 


16  Torches  Aloft 

transpires  that  at  times  this  attribute  of  deity  ma- 
jestically burns  its  way  through  human  processes 
and  plans.  Retribution  is  a  principle  of  unques- 
tioned reality  and  power.  Some  of  the  phases  of 
these  days  are  reflected  with  remarkable  clearness 
in  II.  Thessalonians  2 :  8-10.  "Then  will  wickedness 
incarnate  appear,  but  the  Lord  Jesus  will  destroy 
him  with  the  breath  of  his  lips  and  bring  him  to 
nothing  with  the  splendor  of  his  coming.  For  at 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  there  will  be  great  activity 
on  the  part  of  Satan,  in  the  shape  of  all  kinds  of  de- 
ceptive miracles,  signs,  and  marvels,  as  well  as  of 
wicked  attempts  to  delude  to  the  ruin  of  those  who 
are  on  their  way  to  destruction,  because  they  have 
never  received  and  loved  the  truth  to  their  own 
salvation."  So  it  is  more  than  a  mere  exhortation 
that  would  call  upon  all  men  in  the  midst  of  their 
financial  and  other  schemes  to  have  reverence  for 
that  righteousness  by  which  alone  human  society 
and  commercial  success  can  be  immuned  from  the 
holy  wrath  of  a  holy  God  whose  right  it  is  to  reign. 
There  is  developing  to-day,  from  what  may  be 
classed  as  non-Christian  sources,  what  may  be 
called  the  religion  of  socialism,  which  in  the  last 
analysis  is  the  worship  of  humanity.  It  is  based 
upon  the  assumption  that  man  has  the  ability  in- 
herent in  himself  for  his  own  complete  salvation 
and  deliverance.  It  appears  to  be  an  effort  to  bow 
the  Almighty  down  and  out  from  the  world  of  his 
own  creation,  and  to  dismiss  religion  as  unworthy 
of  the  serious  attention  of  the  present  age.  Is  it  not 


Age  Tendencies  17 

indeed  strange,  that  after  long  centuries  in  which 
religion  has  borne  the  race  upward,  that  now  there 
should  be  a  tendency  to  turn  humanity  back  upon 
itself  and  ask  it  to  save  itself  without  a  divine 
Savior  to  lift  it  up,  against  the  one  force  that  has 
brought  the  present  measure  of  social  well  being 
to  pass?  The  effort  is  futile,  misguided,  and  will 
fail  as  it  deserves  to  fail. 

There  is  now  in  existence  a  well  conceived  plan 
by  astute  men  to  secure  full  control  of  all  commer- 
cial and  industrial  operations.  This  control  is  to  be, 
in  effect,  a  world-wide  trust.  Not  satisfied  with 
trusts  and  monopolies  that  have  controlled  the  com- 
modities of  a  nation  and  fixed  arbitrary  prices  for 
the  same,  it  is  proposed  to  control  those  of  the 
whole  world.  Our  industrial  forces  are  gigantic. 
Human  beings  and  animals  are  being  superceded. 
Business  success  is  all  but  deified.  Men  press  for 
wealth  with  a  passion  worthy  of  a  nobler  cause.  So 
dominant  is  the  demand  for  the  protection  and  pros- 
pering of  business  interests,  that  it  has  become  the 
supreme  concern  of  governmental  and  political  or- 
ganization. The  one  standard  of  all  legislation  is 
its  probable  effect  upon  business.  Commercial  suc- 
cess is  the  cry  of  the  morning,  the  noon,  and  the 
night.  We  question  if  human  energy  was  ever  so 
consumed  and  burned  up  in  the  seeking  of  material 
good  as  now.  Business  success  is  really  a  mock- 
ery and  a  calamity  unless  it  shall  accept  the  reli- 
gious motive  and  the  Christ  passion  for  human  wel- 
fare. Unfortunately,  the  almost  universal  motive 


18  Torches  Aloft 

for  wealth  has  been  gain  and  power  for  self-indul- 
gence, rather  than  service  to  humanity. 

All  the  current  developments,  commercial,  politi- 
cal, economic,  religious,  pleasure  promoting,  must 
be  closely  studied,  for  they  bear  some  message  to 
all  the  agencies  and  institutions  that  propose  a  min- 
istry to  the  real  good  of  humanity.  Discriminating 
study  of  the  age  characteristic  is  called  for,  so  that 
what  is  good  may  be  recognized,  conserved,  and  di- 
rected, while  that  which  is  evil  shall  be  known  as 
such  and  dismissed  from  public  patronage  and  in- 
terest. Some  of  the  movements  that  are  now  afoot 
are  destined  to  move  forward  to  glorious  consum- 
mation. Those  movements  that  have  disinterested- 
ness and  upbuilding  power  are  sure  to  yield  re- 
markable results.  It  is  worth  while  to  so  study  the 
current  social  and  religious  phenomena  and  trend 
as  to  be  able  intelligently  to  contribute  to  the  desir- 
able and  inspiring  goals  that  are  in  sight.  Other 
current  movements  have  little  or  no  merit,  and  they 
will  evaporate  and  pass  away.  Others  are  wholly 
mischievous  and  will  be  overpowered  by  the  united 
forces  of  righteousness  and  driven  from  the  field. 
Humanity  will  rapidly  socialize  its  complete  energy 
and  product.  It  will  keep  steadily  in  view  the 
comfort,  well-being,  and  happiness  of  all  mankind. 
Collective  humanity  is  ever  on  the  move  to  better 
its  condition.  The  things  that  are  forever  luring  us 
on,  that  are  worth  while,  and  reflect  the  aims  of 
Christ,  will  amply  reward  our  efforts  in  their  attain- 
ment. 


III. 


LEADERSHIP— THE  MINISTRY. 

In  the  divine  order,  the  minister  stands  at  the 
very  front  as  one  of  the  beneficent  agencies  of  any 
age.  He  must  be  careful  not  to  frustrate  the  divine 
plan  in  his  leadership  by  lack  of  exacting  programs, 
which  he  shall  faithfully  enjoin  upon  himself,  to- 
gether with  appropriate  intensities  in  their  execu- 
tion. He  is  not  bound  to  the  daily  scheduled  task 
as  is  the  man  in  some  other  vocations.  The  very 
fact  that  he  has  a  large  immunity  from  schedule, 
may  become  an  occasion  of  great  loss  in  the  sum  to- 
tal of  his  achievements.  The  doctor  must  respond 
instantly  to  whatever  call  may  come.  The  lawyer 
must  undertake  whenever  his  client  applies.  The 
merchant  must  make  sales  when  customers  are  at 
his  counter.  The  clerk,  or  other  employee,  must  be 
on  hand  when  the  hour  for  his  appearance  is  indi- 
cated. Something  of  this  law  enters  into  the  life  of 
the  average  clergyman,  but  in  considerable  part,  he 
is  in  control  of  his  time.  What  he  does  in  the  inter- 
vals that  are  in  his  own  keeping,  is  an  all  deter- 
mining factor  in  his  life.  No  kind  of  mastery  is  as 
difficult  as  self-mastery.  It  is  under  this  law  that 
the  minister's  test  comes,  and  happy  the  man  who 
is  not  found  wanting. 


20  Torches  Aloft 

Occasionally  in  conversation  with  church  goers, 
the  query  as  to  what  was  especially  impressive  in 
the  recent  sermon  or  service,  is  answered  by  the  sig- 
nificant statement,  "Oh,  nothing  unusual  or  out  of 
the  ordinary."  Or  after  the  appearance  of  a  clergy- 
man in  a  given  community  it  may  be  found  that 
none  of  his  auditors  has  any  disposition  to  refer  to 
anything  that  he  has  said  or  to  his  appearance  at 
all.  This  silence  is  usually  ominous  of  a  regrettable 
lack  of  impression.  The  minister's  stated  occasion 
may  be  treated  as  matter  of  course  instead  of  being 
magnified  and  accepted  as  a  challenge  for  the  best 
that  is  within  him  and  available  for  his  people.  The 
pulpit  was  intended  to  be  a  throne  of  power  and  the 
minister  must  fire  his  heart  and  energy  to  the  point 
where  he  puts  such  blood  and  life  into  every  ap- 
pearance for  a  public  hearing  as  will  literally  com- 
pel the  occasion  to  bear  the  impression  that  abides. 

Every  minister  probably  considers  himself  a  busy 
man,  but  there  is  a  vast  difference  between  being  a 
busy  man  and  the  doing  of  the  things  that  are  worth 
while.  Sometimes  the  minister  is  simply  fussy, 
lacking  such  relation  of  energy  to  ideals  and  occa- 
sions as  will  compel  progress  and  leave  a  lasting 
impression.  Comparatively  little  comes  from  the 
minister's  life  unless  he  has  a  good  plan  and  ad- 
heres to  his  plan  tenaciously.  The  minister,  for  in- 
stance, has  absolutely  no  compulsion  for  the  early 
beginning  of  his  day's  work.  The  first  royal  claim- 
ant on  the  time  of  the  minister  each  day,  is  the  call 
to  his  early  personal  waiting  upon  God,  the  meeting 


Leadership — The  Ministry  21 

of  his  Lord  face  to  face  in  the  quiet  hour.  No  effi- 
cient life  unless  God  suffuse  the  human  personality. 
This  need  is  genuine  with  all  people;  it  is  abso- 
lutely essential  in  the  life  of  the  minister.  Other 
claimants  make  appeal  for  early  audience  at  the 
door  of  the  minister's  home.  There  comes  for  his 
early  attention  the  daily  newspaper,  for  intelligence 
of  what  is  going  on  in  the  world  is  important  to  the 
minister.  The  minister  must  read  with  discrimina- 
tion, for  much  of  its  content  lacks  essential  value. 
Its  pages  convey  the  good,  bad,  and  indifferent,  and 
the  proportion  of  the  good  is  not  as  large  as  it  will 
be  at  no  distant  day.  Yet  such  is  the  imperative 
demand  upon  the  minister  for  leadership,  that  he 
must  be  intelligent  and  even  sensitive  as  to  what  is 
passing  on  the  great  stage  of  human  interest. 

These  are  crises  days.  The  world  is  literally 
writhing  with  discontents,  insurrections,  protests, 
and  calls  for  readjustment;  forces  are  in  formation 
and  alignment  with  a  rapidity  which  the  world  has 
never  witnessed  until  now.  It  is  not  only  the  mat- 
ter of  direction  in  these  days,  but  it  is  the  mat- 
ter of  speed  in  the  direction  which  we  must  note, 
and  touching  which,  our  most  careful  adjustment 
and  response  must  be  made.  Even  in  the  whirl  and 
turmoil  of  politics,  in  the  clean  strong  sense  of  the 
word,  the  clergyman  has  his  natural  place.  The 
state  invariably  needs  the  moral  pressure  and  lead- 
ership which  the  Church  affords.  Government  is  a 
fundamental  problem.  Politics  is  the  science  of 
government,  and  all  the  organizations  of  men  that 


22  Torches  Aloft 

presume  to  be  related  to  the  government  should 
come  under  the  careful  survey  of  the  minister.  The 
clergyman  dare  not  be  an  impotent  factor  in  deter- 
mining the  efficiency  of  the  government  under 
which  he  lives.  He  needs  to  possess  such  sanity, 
such  intelligence,  and  such  discretion,  as  to  give  him 
an  accorded  place  of  leadership  and  inspiration  in 
civic  affairs. 

By  a  strange  oversight,  though  the  fact  is  some- 
what natural,  we  have  allowed  national  and  state 
legislative  bodies  to  be  composed  almost  entirely 
of  lawyers.  Some  phases  of  the  lawyer's  training 
are  certainly  conducive  to  his  probable  efficiency 
in  legislative  and  official  life.  As  much,  however, 
may  be  said  touching  the  training  for  any  standard 
profession.  It  is  certainly  not  wise  that  the  lawyers 
should  be  permitted  to  monopolize  the  functions  of 
legislative,  judicial,  and  official  life.  All  experience 
shows  that  in  the  many  sided  interests  and  processes 
of  civilization  all  classes  need  to  be  represented  in 
order  to  that  balanced  view  that  is  so  essential  to 
peace  and  progress.  It  seems  anomalous  that  legis- 
lation which  in  the  main  is  enacted  by  lawyers  in 
legislative  assemblies  should  by  another  set  of 
lawyers  who  are  known  officially  as  judges,  be  so 
frequently  pronounced  unconstitutional  and  set 
aside  by  other  lawyers.  May  not  this  tendency  or 
result  be  in  good  part  directly  traceable  to  the  evil  of 
allowing  one  procession  to  dominate  this  field?  It 
would  be  well  if  men  from  other  walks  of  life  than 
the  law  in  considerable  numbers,  should  be  associ- 


Leadership — The  Ministry  23 

ated  in  the  responsibilities  of  legislation.  One  rea- 
son why  in  some  instances  the  judiciary  has  scant 
fidelity  to  the  rights  and  welfare  of  the  common  peo- 
ple is  because  the  judge  has  had  purely  technical 
training  and  has  been  elevated  to  a  pedestal  which 
places  him  entirely  beyond  recall.  His  training  has 
naturally  been  along  conservative  lines  and  with  a 
tendency  to  favor  property  and  prominence  as 
against  the  demand  for  social  justice  to  all  the  peo- 
ple. Superficial  sanctity  of  the  judiciary  has  the 
flavor  of  the  dark  ages,  and  has  no  place  in  a  twen- 
tieth century  democracy.  The  authority  which  calls 
into  official  life  has  an  unquestioned  right  to  recall 
from  official  life  when  the  results  show  that  the  be- 
stowment  of  power  has  been  misplaced.  There  is  an 
inevitable  recall  which  acts  upon  us  all  impartially, 
but  it  is  the  recall  of  the  grave.  This  form  of  re- 
call moves  upon  all  classes  relentlessly.  Another 
form  of  recall  moves  upon  the  clergyman  and  the 
professional  man  with  a  merciless  severity.  Unless 
he  absolutely  makes  good  and  carries  with  him  ap- 
proval for  progressive  policies  and  efficiency,  his 
recall  is  certain.  Almost  as  automatically  as  the 
cemetery  is  filled  with  the  dust  of  the  dead,  do  min- 
isters and  most  other  professional  men  find  them- 
selves without  employment ;  tested,  tried  out,  or 
accorded,  if  capable,  and  in  vigor,  a  gracious  leader- 
ship. 

These  are  days  of  befitting  beginnings.  Conserv- 
atism has  its  place  and  value  in  the  evolution  of 
the  race,  but  we  must  guard  against  its  manacles.  It 


24  Torches  Aloft 

is  important  that  we  remember  that  whatever  of 
fundamental  good  has  entered  historically  into  the 
life  of  the  race,  there  are  new  beginnings  that  are 
required  and  essential  in  every  department  of  hu- 
man activity.  The  stand-patters  have  appeared  not 
only  in  the  world  of  politics,  but  they  have  always 
had  a  place  in  the  realm  of  religious  organization 
and  activity.  A  distinguished  official  in  a  great 
State,  gave  utterance  to  his  sentiments  on  a  public 
occasion,  recently,  in  the  following  significant  lan- 
guage : 

"I  was  brought  up  in  the  church  with  which  I 
am  now  proud  to  be  identified,  have  always  given 
fidelity  at  her  altars,  and  even  now  am  gratified 
with  her  declaration  of  faith  but  whenever  she  be- 
gins to  raise  the  issue  of  her  perpetuation  as  an  or- 
ganization for  perpetuation's  sake,  when  she  conies 
to  regard  her  own  organization  as  an  end  rather 
than  as  a  means  to  an  end,  then,  as  much  as  I  love 
her,  I  am  done  with  her." 

Our  denominational  jackets  throughout  are  not 
as  snug  and  stiff  as  they  were  some  years  ago.  The 
clergy  are  in  the  temper  and  atmosphere  of  rapid 
and  even  radical  mobilization  around  new  interpre- 
tations and  adapted  organizations.  The  minister 
must  maintain  an  aptness  for  what  may  be  called 
swivel-gun  action.  He  must  be  in  the  attitude  of 
sensitive  and  constant  response  to  the  will  and  au- 
thority of  Christ  and  the  growing  interpretation  of 
that  will  in  the  light  of  the  social  need  of  his  fellow- 
men. 


Leadership — The  Ministry  25 

As  to  the  minister's  relation  to  book  literature, 
it  is  imperative  that  he  freshen  and  immerse  his 
mind  in  the  strongest  and  best  books.  He  cannot 
forego  their  messages ;  but  in  a  sense  every  preacher 
must  discover  his  own  books.  Let  him  not  give  up 
the  quest  for  good  ones  because  of  their  compara- 
tive scarcity.  He  may  not  be  governed  by  the  ad- 
vice of  his  most  revered  friends,  for  a  book  that  may 
have  great  value  to  one  clergyman  may  have  none 
at  all  to  another  type  of  mind.  The  reader  is  such 
a  vital  member  of  the  book  equation  that  the  use- 
fulness of  any  book  may  be  said  to  be  in  the  keeping 
of  the  man  who  reads  it.  Of  course,  no  bad  book 
can  be  made  good  by  a  good  reader ;  but  a  strong 
book  may  not  yield  its  strength  unless  the  reader 
moves  toward  its  contents  in  proper  mental  alert- 
ness and  concentration.  What  will  quicken  one 
mind  may  not  have  that  effect  upon  another  mind. 
The  book,  which  above  all  others,  has  a  vitalization 
for  all  minds,  is  the  Book  of  books,  and  to  it  the 
minister  may  turn  with  unfailing  profit. 

The  highest  type  of  religious  efficiency  is  an  un- 
varying condition  of  success  in  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. Fine  religious  vitality  often  succeeds  in  soul 
winning  in  spite  of  many  defects  in  training  and 
even  in  native  endowment.  Many  a  community  has 
accepted  the  ministry  and  services  of  a  clergyman 
solely  because  he  was  godly  and  splendidly  good. 
This  religious  vitality  sways  the  multitude  wher- 
ever it  is  incarnate  and  sanely  applied.  Associated 
with  collegiate  and  seminary  training  it  becomes 


26  Torches  Aloft 

irresistible.  It  is  taken  for  granted  that  the  day  has 
passed  for  argument  touching  the  rational  and  in- 
sistent demand  that  the  minister  shall  be  thoroughly 
educated  under  the  best  curricula  and  faculties  ob- 
tainable anywhere.  The  exactions  of  ministerial 
service  will  tax  the  highest  and  best  intellectual  life 
presented  by  any  human  being,  and  within  and  with- 
out the  schools  the  mind  must  be  disciplined  and 
stored  with  knowledge.  The  equivalent  of  schools 
is  not  to  be  had  outside  of  them,  for  no  matter  how 
well  one  may  apply  himself  in  self  culture,  some 
phases  of  his  education  will  always  be  lacking.  The 
far  greater  number  of  the  leaders  of  the  church  mili- 
tant have  been  college  trained,  and  it  will  always  be 
so.  Too  much  cannot  be  said  furthermore  of  the 
Christian  college  as  compared  with  the  State  insti- 
tution from  the  viewpoint  of  the  Church  and  its 
work.  But  few  ministers  are  forthcoming  from  the 
State  universities.  In  the  movement  toward  stand- 
ardization in  college  and  university  equipment,  it 
will  likely  be  necessary  for  the  churches  to  federate 
in  the  educational  field  as  they  are  now  doing  in 
some  other  departments.  Deeds,  bequests,  scholar- 
ships, with  all  property  and  assets  should  be  kept 
mobile,  for  no  one  may  foresee  what  shall  be  desir- 
able and  even  necessary  in  the  realm  of  Christian 
education  in  the  next  few  years. 

There  is  no  rich  vocabulary,  without  a  rich  soul 
life.  The  language  of  some  ministers  is  a  flowing 
flame,  a  perennial  fountain,  a  healing  stream,  a  li- 
quid life.  With  others  their  words  are  hard,  angu- 


Leadership — The  Ministry  27 

lar,  exact  to  a  fault  and  well  nigh  soulless.  There 
can  be  no  rich  religious  vocabulary  save  as  the  soul 
is  made  molten  by  the  presence  and  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  The  heart  is  vocal  when  reason  is 
speechless.  The  persons  whom  ministers  win  to 
Christ  are  more  usually  touched  and  moved  by 
heart  power  than  by  mere  literary  exactness.  The 
sermon,  after  all,  is  as  much  dependent  upon  soul 
passion  and  temperature  as  it  is  on  literary  form  and 
organization.  Beneath  a  certain  temperature  no 
seed  will  grow.  Too  many  ministers  to-day  are 
lacking  in  appropriate  religious  emotion,  divine  pas- 
sion and  tenderness.  He  who  would  reach  the  heart 
must,  with  his  own  heart,  warm  and  vitalize  the 
truth  as  he  gives  it  out.  Otherwise  but  small  influ- 
ence and  result  will  follow.  The  gospel  is  an  act, 
it  is  the  expression  of  power.  The  minister  who 
would  voice  this  gospel  must  know  the  imperative 
demand  for  appropriate  spiritual  enduement,  for 
without  this,  the  clergyman  fails  of  his  mission  and 
vacates  his  throne. 


IV. 


CO-OPERATION    IN    THE    CHRISTIANIZA- 
TION  OF  AMERICA. 

To  thoroughly  Christianize  the  civilization  and 
social  order  of  the  North  American  continent,  is  the 
greatest  task  ever  confronted  by  Christianity.  It  is 
even  greater  than  that  of  the  apostolic  age.  Our 
civilization  is  the  product  of  unparalleled  energy, 
is  permeated  by  growing  ideals  and  characterized 
by  militant  organizations.  There  are  numerous 
agencies  at  work  that  are  entirely  secular  and  ma- 
terialistic in  their  propaganda  and  purpose.  While 
the  Supreme  Court  has  declared  that  the  United 
States  is  a  Christian  nation,  and  while  all  fair 
minded  people  will  admit  that  the  Church  has  been 
most  influential  in  forming  the  ideals  of  the  Ameri- 
can people,  yet  inevitably  certain  forces,  antagonis- 
tic to  the  Christian  religion,  have  developed  within 
our  borders.  The  contest  for  the  dominant  place 
and  influence  with  the  American  people  could  not 
but  be  sharp  and  keen.  Great  liberty  has  been  al- 
lowed to  all  types  of  thinking  and  the  government 
has  always  been  patient  toward  all  sorts  of  men,  so 
long  as  their  acts  were  not  radically  destructive  and 
dangerous.  Certain  types  of  mind  have  logically 
developed  under  this  very  generous  attitude  of  the 
state.  The  state  as  such  has  omitted  the  religious 


Co-operation  in  the  Christianization  of  America  29 

emphasis.  That  fact,  coupled  with  the  generous  at- 
titude towards  all  faiths  or  no  faith,  must  have  cer- 
tain results  in  a  country  developing  as  rapidly  as 
ours,  in  the  encouragement  of  certain  types  of  mind 
toward  secularism  and  irreligion.  Christianity  has 
often  been  misunderstood  and  misjudged.  Its  rep- 
resentatives and  adherents  have  never  been  perfect. 
No  thoughtful  man  has  ever  expected  they  would 
be.  Any  force  or  institution,  redemptive  or  other- 
wise, that  has  to  do  with  human  nature,  will  find 
that  the  material  through  which  it  must  express  it- 
self affords  a  serious  handicap  to  the  ideal  develop- 
ment and  status.  The  rapid  advance  of  our  indus- 
trial life,  the  great  accumulations  of  wealth,  the 
ever-rising  standards  of  living,  have  all  conspired 
to  create  conditions  and  develop  issues  that  can  but 
challenge  the  virility  and  strength  of  religion  in  the 
matter  of  control  and  direction.  The  Church  has 
been  thrown  upon  the  voluntary  support  and  co-op- 
eration of  the  people,  with  the  state  quite  disen- 
gaged and  free  from  any  special  obligation  to  aid 
and  promote  the  enterprises  in  which  Christianity 
must  inevitably  be  vitally  interested.  Neither  has 
the  state  seen  fit  to  actively  encourage  those  con- 
structive moods  and  tempers  of  mind  which  Chris- 
tianity holds  as  especially  fundamental.  It  has  been 
easy  for  the  officials  of  the  state  to  over-emphasize 
this  lack  of  formal  identification  of  interest  and  ef- 
fort between  the  Church  and  the  state.  From  the 
attitude  of  non-Christian  it  has  been  but  a  short 
way  to  the  attitude  of  anti-Christian.  From  the 


30  Torches  Aloft 

foregoing  it  is  very  evident  that  any  religion  that 
proposes  to  thoroughly  realize  its  ideals  and  doc- 
trines as  practically  applied  to  all  the  people,  must 
be  a  religion  of  essential  genuineness,  truth,  and 
power.  Furthermore,  since  the  administrative  side 
of  ecclesiastical  organization  is  always  important,  it 
is  becoming  clear  to  all  the  thoughtful  that  the  de- 
mand for  co-operation  and  even  co-ordination  in 
the  great  task  of  Christianizing  America  will  be- 
come more  and  more  insistent. 

America  has  witnessed  the  unprecedented  multi- 
plication of  religious  sects  and  organizations.  In 
no  country  on  earth,  since  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  era,  have  so  many  different  sects  and  de- 
nominations, all  purporting  to  express  and  repre- 
sent the  true  religion,  sprung  into  existence.  The 
temper  of  the  public  mind  has  been  such  as  to  allow 
these  divisions  to  increase  without  any  serious  chal- 
lenge. The  time  has  come,  however,  in  the  evolu- 
tion of  Christianity  in  North  America,  when  these 
divisions  are  passing  under  a  timely  scrutiny  and 
survey.  It  seems  quite  certain  that  as  the  situation 
is  studied  impartially,  and  with  a  view  to  reaching 
an  unbiased  verdict  in  the  light  of  an  earnest  and 
practical  age,  that  it  will  become  increasingly  dif- 
ficult to  defend,  perpetuate,  and  maintain  these 
separating  lines  and  organizations  among  Chris- 
tians. 

Up  to  the  most  recent  past,  no  serious  effort  has 
been  made  to  secure  concert  of  action  among  the 
different  religious  bodies.  This  omission  is  becom- 


Co-operation  in  the  Christianisation  of  America  31 

ing  noteworthy  as  the  fact  is  forced  upon  the 
churches  that  the  conveying  of  the  Christian  mes- 
sage to  our  great  population  is  so  inadequately  done. 
True,  the  Christian  forces  have  been  more  or  less 
sympathetic,  but  they  have  not  always  lined  up  as 
allies  in  the  day  of  battle.  Neither  have  they  reached 
the  point  of  such  disinterestedness  as  would  enable 
them  to  join  forces  in  a  commensurate  plan  of  cam- 
paign. This  illogical  situation  has  a  strange  and  un- 
reasonable persistence.  It  is  supported  by  prejudice 
and  sometimes  by  bigotry.  The  tendency  to  isola- 
tion, and  the  desire  for  absolute  independence  in 
action  seems  to  be  so  cherished  and  exalted  by 
some  as  to  forbid  their  being  at  all  approachable  for 
inclusive  alignments  and  effective  co-operations.  It 
appears  difficult  to  eliminate  from  religious  organi- 
zations the  prejudices,  methods,  and  administrative 
policies  that  are  even  known  to  be  unfruitful  and 
inadequate.  Not  only  has  the  Christian  world  wit- 
nessed among  the  denominations  of  America  an  ir- 
rational persistence  in  exaggerated  local  autonomy, 
but  at  times  the  forces  have  taken  on  the  spirit  of 
contention  and  questionable  rivalry,  all  dictated  by 
mere  tradition  and  sentiment.  These  have  been  ex- 
alted to  a  control  that  ought  never  to  be  allowed 
save  to  the  essential  message  of  the  Christian  gos- 
pel alone.  We  have,  therefore,  to  our  sorrow,  wit- 
nessed among  Christians  all  of  whom  were  ostensi- 
bly pledged  to  one  Christ  and  one  Cross,  an  amount 
of  prejudice,  narrowness,  deliberate  isolation,  even 
fanaticism,  bigotry,  and  intolerance,  which  all  right- 


32  Torches  Aloft 

minded  people  only  can  deplore  and  seek  to  remove. 
These  elements  of  weakness  are  not  original  with 
Christianity,  but  survive  as  unfortunate  traits  of 
unsanctified  human  nature. 

It  is  high  time  that  all  the  denominations  and  seg- 
regated forms  of  Christianity  study  these  facts 
with  an  open  mind.  Church  leaders  all  are  re- 
sponsible for  such  information  and  instruction  as 
will  lead  to  serious  and  candid  thought  on  the  whole 
situation.  The  people  are  ready  for  the  call  to  a 
consideration  of  the  subject,  and  some  of  the  laymen 
are  in  advance  of  the  average  clergyman  in  their  at- 
titude and  interest.  The  striving  of  any  denomina- 
tion of  Christians  in  a  given  community  without 
any  reference  to  what  fellow  Christians  are  doing, 
is  worthy  of  real  censure.  A  point  of  contact  must 
be  found  and  maintained.  Mutual  suspicions  must 
be  displaced  by  confidence  and  good  will,  while 
conference  and  conjunctive  effort  shall  take  the 
place  of  sporadic  and  unrelated  activity.  Fellow- 
ship and  co-operation,  following  acquaintance,  will 
be  sweet  and  uplifting.  The  measures,  methods,  oc- 
casions, and  possibilities  of  federated  activity  must 
be  well  thought  out  and  agreed  upon. 

One  problem  in  the  Christianization  of  America 
arises  from  the  over-lapping  of  religious  agencies, 
institutions,  and  organizations.  There  is  not  as 
much  of  this  as  some  people  have  supposed,  but  all 
who  have  administrative  responsibility  in  the  sev- 
eral churches  know  that  it  does  exist  to  no  incon- 
siderable degree.  There  are  many  localities  where 


Co-operation  in  the  Christianisation  of  America  33 

this  overlapping  and  competitive  duplication  mars, 
hurts,  confuses,  and  destroys  the  influence  of  the 
Christian  religion.  Every  now  and  again  the  writer, 
as  an  administrative  officer  in  one  of  the  churches, 
has  been  compelled  to  protest  in  behalf  of  the  prin- 
ciple of  comity  for  the  protection  of  a  community, 
where  one  religious  organization  was  quite  suffi- 
cient to  meet  the  community  need,  but  where  exces- 
sive denominational  zeal  was  impelling  toward 
ruinous  duplication.  It  sometimes  transpires  that 
in  the  eagerness  to  make  a  showing  for  separate  or- 
ganizations and  administrative  offices,  that  minis- 
ters are  sent  into  communities  already  sufficiently 
churched,  to  the  great  confusion  of  the  public  mind 
and  with  the  result  that  neither  of  the  competing 
churches  can  become  strong  or  commanding  in  the 
community.  If  there  were  not  so  many  distinct 
and  competitive  religious  bodies  in  the  country,  this 
unseemly  insistence  in  forcing  church  organizations 
into  communities  until  the  competition  becomes 
disgraceful  would  not  obtain. 

Another  problem  related  to  the  last  one  men- 
tioned is  the  neglect  of  many  districts  entirely,  be- 
cause the  denominations  have  exhausted  their  re- 
sources in  unnecessary  duplications,  with  the  re- 
sult that  neither  men  nor  money  are  available  to 
care  for  the  great  number  of  communities  that  are 
either  wholly  neglected  or  poorly  served.  Obser- 
vations in  the  States  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
compels  the  plea  that  the  Christian  forces  shall 
unite  in  a  constructive  and  adequate  plan  for  bring- 


34  Torches  Aloft 

ing  the  ministries  of  the  Church  to  the  whole  coun- 
try and  population.  The  hundreds  and  even  thou- 
sands of  unoccupied  towns  and  school  districts 
must,  by  some  sane  and  disinterested  plan,  be  dis- 
tributed to  the  respective  churches  so  that  no  dis- 
trict shall  suffer  from  neglect.  This  complete 
Christian  contact  is  impossible  unless  the  different 
church  organizations  and  administrative  officers  are 
willing  to  get  together  and  develop  a  campaign  in 
which  the  responsibility  is  definitely  distributed. 
When  this  is  done,  and  the  whole  work  undertaken 
under  a  comprehensive  plan  or  organization,  in 
which  all  interested  shall  submit  their  isolated  am- 
bition and  program  to  the  larger  objectives,  we  shall 
witness  the  progress  of  Christianity  as  never  before. 
By  this  method,  the  creative  activity  of  each  de- 
nomination will  be  promoted  and  utilized  in  the 
very  act  of  co-ordination  and  united  effort.  It  will 
be  a  great  day  for  America  when  all  the  Christian 
forces  arise  to  the  height  of  a  great  national  out- 
look and  campaign.  Our  lack  of  co-ordination  and 
hearty  co-operation  is  the  deadly  foe  of  an  ade- 
quate religious  impact.  In  these  days  when  the 
brain  of  the  world  is  consenting  to  unification  for 
power  and  efficiency  in  so  many  fields,  it  seems 
thoroughly  practical  that  Christianity  should  prof- 
itably embody  the  same  principle  and  administer 
it  for  the  good  of  all  in  the  beneficent  compassion 
which  Christ  embodies.  Beyond  our  comparatively 
petty  denominational  program  rises  like  a  mighty 
colossus  the  inviting  conquests  that  shall  appeal  to, 


Co-operation  in  the  Chris  tianisation  of  America  35 

and  shall  persuade  the  vast  population  for  whose 
betterment  and  salvation  American  Christianity 
exists.  This  larger  outlook  will  compel  the  survey 
of  institutions  and  organizations  with  relation  to 
the  entire  need.  Certain  eliminations  are  sure  to 
result  from  any  sane  and  serious  study  of  the  pres- 
ent situation.  Against  these  eliminations  the  nar- 
row minded  will  protest  as  if  something  really  vi- 
tal were  passing,  but  the  eliminations  lie  in  the  di- 
rection of  progress  and  victory. 

In  the  transitions  just  ahead  the  conservative 
elements  and  forces  that  always  resist  any  move- 
ment toward  adaptation  or  new  alignment  must  be 
reckoned  with,  but  never  feared.  The  principle  and 
prerogative  of  differentiation  in  American  Chris- 
tianity has  been  overworked.  Freedom  in  religious 
thinking  and  worship  is  invaluable,  and  is  an  in- 
heritance which  every  Christian  holds  dear.  But 
this  does  not  even  hint  that  it  is  now  in  place  to 
give  encouragement  to  a  continued  magnifying  of 
the  outgrown  divisions  in  the  body  of  Christ.  The 
fear  that  if  large  unifications  of  Christian  bodies  in 
America  should  take  place,  individual  liberty  and 
the  rights  of  the  minority  would  be  in  peril  from 
fellow  Christians,  is  not  well  founded  and  the  dan- 
ger is  exaggerated.  Such  a  thing  might  have  been 
feared  in  the  long  ago,  but,  thank  God,  the  world 
has  outgrown  the  menace.  Persecution  or  oppres- 
sion of  every  kind  is  well  nigh  dead  in  America,  and 
its  survival  among  Christians  is  unthinkable.  The 
fear  of  such  a  thing  would  have  been  in  order  a 


36  Torches  Aloft 

few  hundred  years  ago,  but  not  now-  No  power  for 
unification  has  ever  touched  the  race  that  is  com- 
parable with  Christianity.  Is  it  not  high  time  its 
trend  toward  unification  were  recognized?  Reli- 
gious truth  is  the  final  and  ultimate  truth.  Our  di- 
visions come  from  the  non-essentials.  Only  the  es- 
sence of  Christianity  is  authoritative.  When  the 
Christian  world  is  sufficiently  intelligent  and  broad- 
minded  to  comprehend  the  real  program  of  Christ, 
less  disposition  to  apologize  for,  defend,  and  per- 
petuate our  unnecessary  and  unmeritorious  divis- 
ions will  be  in  evidence.  May  God  hasten  the  day. 


V. 


WHENCE  THE  ILLS  OF  HUMANITY. 

Ever  since  the  beginnings  of  human  history,  a 
school  of  thinkers  has  been  inclined  to  attribute  to 
environment  the  sum  total  of  human  ills.  This 
keen  interest  in  the  subject  is  to  be  commended, 
but  such  an  extreme  view  is,  as  it  appears,  unwar- 
ranted and  misleading.  The  emphasis  on  environ- 
ment is  timely.  As  now  in  evidence,  we  should 
wish  to  credit  it  with  being  in  keeping  with  the  ex- 
altation of  the  spiritual  above  the  material  in  rela- 
tion to  human  progress.  However,  it  seems  clear 
that  scientific  socialism  goes  too  far  when  it  pro- 
poses that  all  the  ills  of  life  are  chargeable  to  bad 
surroundings.  That  the  age  is  alert  to  this  rela- 
tion between  environment  and  the  net  results  of  a 
human  career,  is  praiseworthy  and  encouraging. 
Just  in  proportion  as  Christians  are  genuine,  and 
therefore  earnest,  will  they  get  under  the  prob- 
lems and  task  of  eliminating  the  harmful  and  per- 
nicious from  the  environment  of  mankind.  Christ 
has  not  only  proposed  that  salvation  shall  guaran- 
tee a  desirable  condition  after  death,  but  quite  as 
certainly  has  he  indicated  his  purpose  to  exalt  the 
importance  of  life  this  side  of  the  grave.  Everything 
said  and  done  by  our  Lord  while  on  the  earth  pro- 
claims in  unmistakable  terms  his  purpose  and  plan 


38  Torches  Aloft 

to  remove  the  objectionable,  unjust,  oppressive,  and 
harmful  from  the  world  in  which  mankind  begins 
existence.  This  phase  of  Christian  duty  and  inter- 
est has  sometimes  been  obscured  in  the  thought  and 
conscience  of  the  Church.  Now  the  Church  wel- 
comes the  new  challenge  for  participation  in  se- 
curing social  righteousness,  and  at  the  same  time  re- 
fuses to  believe  that  environment  is  to  be  wholly 
or  even  chiefly  charged  with  responsibility  for  hu- 
man conduct.  It  may  be  freely  admitted  that  its 
place  in  the  human  career  has  not  been  duly  estima- 
ted and  that  interest  in  a  good  one  has  not  been  in 
ratio  with  its  importance. 

Another  school  of  thinkers  has  advocated  a  the- 
ory of  human  life  that  would  account  for  all  its  ills 
by  referring  them  to  human  nature  itself.  Christ 
made  it  plain  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  inward 
quality,  and  also  that  determining  immorality  and 
guilt  have  origin  from  within.  It  appears  plain 
and  clear  that  the  ills  of  humanity  have  a  dual  ori- 
gin, from  within  and  without.  There  are  latent 
forces  of  evil  within  us.  and  the  lures  of  evil  from 
without  would  be  really  powerless  if  we  did  not 
give  way  to  the  seductions  of  evil.  Man  has  a  holy 
and  God-given  sovereignty  and  until  he  chooses  to 
do  evil  he  abides  in  moral  wholeness.  On  the  other 
hand,  that  bad  economic  conditions  are  contrib- 
uting causes  to  human  downfall  cannot  be  ques- 
tioned. Poverty  cannot  be  classified  as  promotive 
of  virtue.  Certain  of  the  evils  of  life  do  no  doubt 
have  such  a  relation  to  the  circumstances  surround- 


Whence  the  Ills  of  Humanity  39 

ing  the  life  as  to  become  palliative  of  guilt  on  the 
part  of  the  individual,  and  convincing  as  to  guilt  on 
the  part  of  society.  So  many  of  the  handicaps  on 
mankind  are  removable  that  it  is  incumbent  on  all 
right-minded  people  to  determine  where  the  respon- 
sibility of  society  ends  and  the  responsibility  of  the 
individual  begins.  The  need  of  the  hour  is  such  a 
study  of  origins  as  to  locate  properly  in  each  source 
and  be  governed  accordingly.  No  adequate  solu- 
tion of  this  problem  can  come  until  a  sane,  biblical, 
and  scientific  pronouncement  has  been  made,  ac- 
cepted, and  acted  upon  with  wisdom.  We  must 
have  correct  diagnosis  before  the  remedy  can  be 
prescribed  and  applied. 

It  is  an  indisputable  fact  that  men  do  not  always 
improve  with  improved  surroundings.  Men  who 
have  lived  in  palaces  have  not  always  been  royal 
and  kingly  in  character.  Women  who  have  lived 
in  beautiful  environment  have  not  always  been 
beautiful  in  spirit.  Beauty  of  soul  is  often  found 
in  surroundings  wholly  disappointing.  It  appears 
therefore,  from  the  foregoing,  that  any  scheme  or 
method  of  human  improvement  that  is  based  on 
either  theory  alone  will  be  incomplete  and  disap- 
pointing. If  we  could  truthfully  attribute  to  en- 
vironment all  the  coarseness,  animalism,  cruelty, 
and  injustice  shown  by  mankind  it  would  afford  a 
sort  of  relief  to  human  nature  in  its  moral  respon- 
sibility. All  that  men  would  need  to  say  in  self- 
justification  when  arraigned  for  their  wickedness, 
would  be  a  reference  to  their  surroundings,  and  de- 


40  Torches  Aloft 

clare  their  total  release  from  all  responsibility.  It 
seems  perfectly  clear  that  there  are  certain  funda- 
mental integrities  that  the  Almighty  expects  of  his 
creatures  in  any  kind  of  environment.  True,  our 
surroundings  cannot  always  be  controlled,  but  the 
fact  cannot  cancel  our  moral  responsibility.  All 
administrations  of  justice  take  into  account  the  sur- 
roundings, but  fundamental  moral  obligations  can 
never  be  annulled.  Interest  in  environment  for 
the  purpose  of  making  it  easier  to  do  right  and  more 
difficult  to  do  wrong,  is  the  only  attitude  permissi- 
ble to  correct  thinking.  We  have  every  reason  to 
expect  this  attitude  from  the  legislative,  executive, 
and  judicial  departments  of  our  Government.  One 
must  indeed,  blush  with  shame  to  think  of  any  other 
attitude  ever  coming  into  evidence.  Interest  in  bet- 
ter surroundings  is  the  duty  of  all,  because  im- 
proved surroundings  do  count  in  the  battle  for 
better  civilization.  While  good  environment  is  no 
savior,  yet  a  befitting  one  is  such  a  help  in  im- 
pressing and  applying  the  passion  of  saviorhood, 
that  it  becomes  the  duty  of  us  all  to  enlist  for  bet- 
ter conditions  in  every  way.  We  need  to  consider 
that  while  something  of  moment  in  human  better- 
ment is  done  automatically,  the  fact  remains  that 
intelligent,  generous,  energetic,  and  persistent  ef- 
fort in  that  direction  will,  in  a  marvelous  and  wor- 
thy way,  facilitate  human  welfare.  There  are  al- 
most always  more  well-minded  people  in  a  commu- 
nity than  evil-minded,  more  enlightened  than  ig- 
norant. If  these  elements  of  uplift  and  betterment 


Whence  the  Ills  of  Humanity  41 

can  be  associated,  aroused,  and  organized  for  serv- 
ice, then  good  environment  hastens  on  apace. 

While  in  this  interesting  region,  let  us  tarry  to 
establish  vitally  within  ourselves  what  must  for- 
ever stand  at  the  threshold  of  all  serious  thinking. 
When  all  that  can  be  said  has  been  said  by  way  of 
attributing  the  evils  of  mankind  to  environment,  we 
are  well  assured  that  all  men  need  to  be  constantly 
and  unflinchingly  challenged  in  behalf  of  the  im- 
provement of  their  moral  natures ;  mark  you,  all 
men  and  in  any  and  every  kind  of  environment. 
Accept  this  as  a  matter  of  course  and  then  go  in  to 
emphasize  the  importance  of  setting  justice  in  the 
midst  of  the  complete  social  order.  Whenever  any 
man  does  not  feel  constantly  the  upward  pull  and 
pressure  of  higher  standards  for  character  and  con- 
duct, he  becomes  a  social  liability  rather  than  an 
asset.  It  is  imperative  that  man  be  held  in  all  cir- 
cumstances to  ideals  that  challenge  his  moral  na- 
ture and  power.  This  continuous  care  and  anxiety 
for  the  maintenance  of  character  and  conduct 
on  high  and  yet  higher  levels  will  immediately 
reflect  itself  in  every  phase  of  environment.  The 
human  mind  never  thinks  of  God  in  contrast 
with  all  that  is  unlovely  in  human  life  but 
what  intuitively  the  feeling  arises  that  all  unlove- 
liness,  unbrotherliness,  and  ugliness  is  contrary  to 
his  will.  It  must  be  that  when  his  plans  are  finally 
understood  and  his  fruitions  are  fulfilled,  that  only 
the  beautiful  shall  remain.  As  crowning  every  hu- 
man prerogative  and  control  we  need  to  remember 


42  Torches  Aloft 

that  only  the  character  that  incarnates  and  reflects 
the  mind  of  Christ  meets  the  divine  standard. 
Christ  is  the  universal  man  and  elder  brother  to 
every  man,  and  we  are  to  be  approximately  like 
him. 

The  relation  which  material  prosperity  sustains 
to  human  happiness  and  welfare  is  so  manifest  and 
so  easily  overlooked  that  we  must  discuss  it  here. 
Lack  of  the  comforts  and  bounties  of  life  is  so  gen- 
uine a  menace  to  satisfactory  and  efficient  living 
that  its  emphasis  at  any  time  is  in  order.  More  es- 
pecially is  this  emphasis  needed  at  a  time  when  ad- 
mittedly there  is  a  growing  tendency  to  allow  that 
poverty  to  many  is  to  be  taken  as  a  matter  of 
course.  There  is  great  danger  in  such  a  viewpoint 
in  an  age  when  material  good  has  multiplied  as 
never  before.  To  allow  poverty  and  squalor  to 
abound  and  become  chronic  in  such  a  republic  as 
America,  is  both  a  disgrace  and  a  reflection  on  our 
institutions.  There  is  a  way  out  and  our  public 
leaders  are  bound  to  find  it.  When  the  remedy 
has  been  found,  we  are  bound  to  apply  it  thor- 
oughly and  impartially.  America  needs  first  of  all 
the  overdue  conviction  that  the  present  conditions 
can  be  changed  and  the  condition  of  every  family 
and  individual  be  better  than  it  is  now.  Instead  of 
this  sane  social  passion  and  viewpoint  we  have  al- 
lowed the  arbitrary  acquisition  of  wealth  to  be- 
come an  unchallenged  economic  principle.  The 
protest  of  right-minded  men  has  been  both  feeble 
and  futile.  Wealth  has  such  a  real  relation  to  hu- 


Whence  the  Ills  of  Humanity  43 

man  happiness  and  welfare,  and  is  so  potent  an 
agency  for  human  betterment  that  its  acquisition 
must  become  amenable  to  social  justice  and  the 
general  welfare.  It  is  a  subject  deserving  of  the 
most  thorough  study  on  the  part  of  statesmen  and 
churchmen.  Whenever  any  man  fails  to  give  in 
personal  service  to  the  world  a  fair  equivalent  for 
his  wealth,  he  is  bound  to  incur  growing  hostility 
and  challenge.  Sooner  or  later  the  protest  will  be- 
come insistent  and  find  expression  in  suitable  legis- 
lation, if  moral  control  and  social  conscience  be  not 
accepted.  If  this  principle  of  achieving  wealth  by 
arbitrary  methods  and  values  were  generally  con- 
demned, a  way  would  be  found  to  limit  the  individ- 
ual fortunes  of  men.  The  demand  for  this  reform 
would  not  be  characterized  as  fanaticism  or  insane 
socialism.  No  single  man  lives,  or  ever  will  live, 
who  has  a  capacity  for  giving  the  world  an  equiv- 
alent for  millions  upon  millions  of  money  to  be  held 
as  an  individual  fortune.  The  individual  capacity 
to  earn  this  particular  kind  of  result  can  never  exist. 
Every  now  and  again  the  words  "over  production" 
are  used  in  connection  with  current  industrialism. 
So  far  as  the  world's  need  is  concerned  the  words 
are  a  misnomer.  They  also  convey  a  real  warning, 
for  it  does  occur  that  goods  are  manufactured 
only  to  be  submitted  to  human  use  under  absurd 
and  arbitrary  valuations  in  order  to  secure  abnormal 
dividends.  All  the  good  of  the  world,  including 
material  good,  is  the  gift  of  God,  and  he  is  the  only 
real  and  proprietary  owner.  All  men  are  but  the 


44  Torches  Aloft 

stewards  of  his  bounty.  For  a  little  while  they  pre- 
sume to  administer  on  that  which  is  not  their  own. 
If  a  man  shall  amass  wealth  in  the  spirit  of  secular- 
ism, and  irreligion,  omitting  the  voice  of  an  en- 
lightened conscience  and  the  law  of  God,  he  appro- 
priates as  if  it  were  his  very  own  that  which  is 
really  another's.  Yea,  because  of  the  solidarity  of 
the  race  it  belongs  to  many  others.  Such  an  act 
of  appropriation  will  not  bear  scrutiny. 

America  is  in  a  delirium  of  materialism.  The 
most  hopeful  and  charitable  view  of  the  fact  is  to 
reckon  that  it  is  only  incidental,  and  on  the  way  to 
higher  developments  with  the  discoveries  of  real 
values.  We  have  reason  to  hope  that  a  sane  reac- 
tion is  at  hand.  It  appears  to  the  writer  that  Amer- 
ican thinking  is  soon  to  brood  anew  over  the  spir- 
itual values  and  realities. 

As  it  is,  the  one  science  that  is  always  popular  is 
commercial  or  applied  science.  Everything  must 
facilitate  the  production  of  wealth.  The  chief  con- 
cern of  the  Government  is  business  extension  and 
business  success.  Vast  armaments  are  maintained 
for  the  protection  of  the  sacred  rights  of  business. 
The  world  has  never  witnessed  such  keen  and  or- 
ganized pursuit  of  gain  and  large  wealth  as  ob- 
tains to-day.  Thrift  and  commercial  success  are 
in  the  proper  relativity  entirely  desirable ;  but  when 
the  pursuit  of  riches  becomes  a  mania  and  is  at  no 
less  cost  than  an  increase  of  the  total  misery  of  hu- 
manity, objection  is  appropriate  and  timely.  When- 
ever the  passion  for  wealth  hardens  the  human  mind 


Whence  the  Ills  of  Humanity  45 

and  chills  the  blood  of  human  sympathy  and  slows 
the  hand  of  worthy  philanthropy,  the  time  of  con- 
cern and  protest  is  at  hand.  It  is  a  matter  of  com- 
mon knowledge  that  under  the  magic-like  touch  of 
machinery  and  inventive  skill  the  products  of  the 
world  are  increasingly  abundant.  A  new  conscience 
as  to  distribution  must  be  forthcoming  or  a  conten- 
tion is  sure  to  offer  menace.  This  contention  will 
grow  more  earnest  as  the  rights  of  citizenship  are 
extended  and  the  ideals  of  the  individual  are  ad- 
vanced. So  long  as  progress  in  the  art  and  imple- 
ments of  war  shall  outstrip  the  progress  in  the  tem- 
pers of  peace  and  brotherhood,  so  long  shall  the  up- 
building forces  of  our  civilization  be  held  back.  Let 
this  fact  stand  out  before  the  mind  of  Christendom 
until  befitting  attitudes  prevail.  Let  the  warning 
note  appear  in  journalism  and  literature.  Sound  out 
the  new  evangel  from  platform  and  pulpit. 

Ours  is  the  age  of  numerous  and  epoch-making 
inventions.  It  is  said  that  some  of  those  that  are 
the  most  useful  are  pigeon-holed  because  of  human 
rapacity. 

Almost  every  day  witnesses  a  new  triumph  of  the 
human  mind  over  the  forces  of  nature.  This  fact 
should  really  minister  to  the  superior  phases  of  hu- 
man development  and  to  spiritual  quickening 
throughout  the  world.  A  test  of  our  civilization  is 
made  as  these  new  inventions  are  caused  to  contrib- 
ute either  to  human  happiness  and  upbuilding  or 
to  destruction.  In  the  last  few  years  we  have  wit- 
nessed a  remarkable  triumph  of  man  in  the  air,  but, 


46  Torches  Aloft 

as  yet,  the  most  talked  of  use  of  the  conquest  is  a 
military  one.  The  invention  has  been  heavily  fi- 
nanced for  man-killing.  Let  us  face  about  and  fi- 
nance and  sanctify  all  human  achievement  in  the 
passion  of  Christ  and  the  uses  of  peace  and  benefac- 
tion. To  be  sure,  even  a  military  appropriation  of 
the  airship  may  be  overruled  for  good,  but  it  is 
nevertheless  disappointing  that  a  malevolent  rather 
than  a  benevolent  use  of  it  should  be  in  command- 
ing evidence. 

In  the  matter  of  panics  and  business  depressions, 
it  is  worthy  of  note  that  these  arise  almost  uni- 
formly from  the  low  ideals  and  motives  which  gov- 
ern in  the  world  of  finance.  Occasionally  these  la- 
mentable periods  appear  with  the  admission  that 
this  is  the  method  taken  by  the  lords  of  finance  to 
punish  the  people  for  expressions  of  public  opinion 
which  are  received  with  disfavor  in  certain  specula- 
tive financial  circles.  More  is  the  pity,  if  true.  What 
of  all  that  our  boasted  civilization  achieves  if  we 
build  not  the  imperishable  kingdom  of  God  by 
the  incarnation  of  the  spirit  of  Jesus  the  Christ? 
Occasionally  we  hear  it  said  that  business  is  busi- 
ness, politics  is  politics,  and  religion  is  religion,  but 
these  statements  are  all  far  from  the  truth.  Both 
business  and  politics,  we  are  coming  slowly  to  see, 
are  destructive  save  as  they  bear  the  motives  and 
controls  of  true  religion.  Let  us  not  dismiss  state- 
ments of  this  kind  from  our  attention  as  if  they  were 
the  language  merely  of  preachers  and  priests,  and 
unappealing  to  hard-headed  business  men.  Be  it 


Whence  the  Ills  of  Humanity  47 

remembered  that  the  world  is  proving  every  day 
in  business,  in  diplomacy,  in  law  and  economics 
that  they  are  vital  and  true.  In  the  Balkan  war, 
there  has  been  no  inconsiderable  discussion  of  the 
situation  and  the  points  in  contention  by  the  Euro- 
pean nations.  Nothing  more  significant  of  the 
changed  atmosphere  of  diplomacy  has  recently  ap- 
peared than  the  statement  made  by  a  French  diplo- 
mat to  the  effect  that  the  only  attitude  the  govern- 
ments of  Europe  could  safely  take  was  that  of  "dis- 
interestedness." When  did  a  clearer  note  ever  fall 
upon  the  ear  of  the  world  than  this  one  from  the 
great  French  diplomat  in  avowal  of  a  great  Christian 
principle?  Such  notes  will  come  more  frequently 
and  from  such  sources  in  the  days  that  are  now  in 
sight.  When  once  the  world  shall  learn,  as  learn 
it  must,  that  the  principles  of  the  gracious  king- 
dom of  God  are  not  arbitrary  enactments,  but  are 
based  upon  sane  and  essential  conditions  of  human 
welfare,  religion  will  be  accorded  a  hearing  in 
circles  of  human  thought  and  action  from  which 
it  has  been  strangely  omitted.  Somehow,  by 
some  sort  of  infatuation  and  bewilderment,  the 
human  mind  is  capable  of  taking  on  an  attitude  of 
incredulity  and  sometimes  aversion  to  the  em- 
inently practical  pronouncements  of  Christ  touch- 
ing social  progress.  We  have  not  understood  the 
mastery  of  Christ  in  all  of  these  realms  of  human 
interest  and  concern.  We  have  not  appreciated 
the  fact  that  all  constructive  thinking  must  be  in 
the  direction  of  the  conclusions  of  true  religion. 


48  Torches  Aloft 

The  day  of  the  new  attitude  is  at  hand  when  the  jus- 
tifications of  the  laws  of  the  Christ-kingdom  will 
be  in  popular  thought  and  consent.  History  shows 
that  the  human  mind  grows  slowly  up  to  the 
due  appreciation  and  use  of  any  great  truth.  The 
Christ  was  obliged  to  say  at  one  time  to  those  who 
had  been  most  constantly  with  him  and  had  heard 
him  most  fully,  that  he  had  many  things  to  say  unto 
them,  but  as  yet  they  were  unable  to  bear  them. 
The  prophets  who  are  on  the  mounts  of  outlook 
must  keep  heart,  for  the  world  moves  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  highest  consummations.  All  the  pur- 
poses and  plans  of  God  cognate  with  the  upward 
march  of  the  centuries  and  Christ  shall  not  fail  or 
be  discouraged  till  he  has  set  justice  in  the  earth. 
True,  we  have  often  cried,  "How  long,  O  Lord, 
how  long,"  but  to  doubt  the  triumph  of  the  right 
would  be  to  face  away  from  God  and  heaven. 


VI. 


CURRENT  CHANGES  AND  THE  RELIGIOUS 
WORLD. 

Man  has  inherent  tendencies  toward  religion. 
The  tendency  is  not  always  recognized,  correctly 
interpreted,  understood,  or  given  its  right  name. 
No  matter,  for  all  this,  as  to  the  fact,  for  it  remains 
with  all  its  heavenly  hopefulness  to  the  end  of  life, 
so  far  as  we  may  know.  Man  belives  in  the  exist- 
ence of  unseen  forces,  and  this  belief  if  not  always 
intelligent  is  basic  in  religion.  He  believes  in  the 
relation  of  these  forces  to  himself.  In  superstition 
he  clothes  them  with  darkened  ways  and  cruel 
might.  In  intelligent  faith  he  clothes  them  with 
benevolent  power  and  ministry  in  behalf  of  human 
uplift.  The  religious  instinct  then  is  a  part  of  the 
human  constitution.  In  discussion  of  the  subject 
indicated  by  the  chapter  title,  we  must  distinguish 
between  the  religious  world  and  the  Christian  world. 
The  non-Christian  religions  still  appeal  to  the  in- 
terest and  faith  of  a  considerable  portion  of  the  hu- 
man family.  It  is,  therefore,  necessary  to  observe 
that  one  may  be  a  religionist  and  yet  not  be  a 
Christian  religionist.  It  seems  also  necessary  to 
state  that  a  man  may  be  religious  in  a  sense  and  not 
be  a  Christian.  There  are  a  number  of  vital  differ- 
ences as  between  the  Christian  religion  and  many  of 


50  Torches  Aloft 

the  other  religions,  and  at  the  very  center,  subject- 
ively speaking,  is  the  doctrine  and  demand  for  the 
moral  recreation  by  the  new  birth.  This  essential 
message  of  Christianity  is  unchangeable  and  to  the 
end  of  time  will  hold  its  imperial  reign  and  place. 
Its  presentation  may  change,  but  the  essential  mes- 
sage will  abide. 

In  the  religious  world,  a  universal  crisis  which 
presages  change  and  readjustment  is  in  evidence. 
All  the  uncivilized  races  are  passing  through  re- 
markable changes  with  epoch-making  stages  of  re- 
ligious and  moral  evolution.  With  the  civilized 
races  the  crisis  is  not  less  acute.  The  non-Chris- 
tian religions  are  breaking  and  Christianity  is  mov- 
ing forward  to  new  social  interpretations  and  other 
practical  adjustments.  It  is  a  significant  parallel 
to  these  conditions  in  religion  that  there  is  a  world- 
wide demand  for  change  in  the  economic  conditions 
of  the  people.  The  relation  between  the  two  is 
worthy  of  study  and  analysis.  It  is  an  unquestioned 
fact  that  genuine  religion  always  reflects  itself  at 
once  in  the  effort  toward  social  uplift  and  better- 
ment. The  ideals  of  Christianity  have  slowly  per- 
colated into  the  universal  human  aspirations  until 
social  improvement  is  a  world  demand.  The  move- 
ment for  social  welfare  has  apparently  gone  in  ad- 
vance of  the  redemptive  evangel.  Both  are  beauti- 
ful composites  of  the  Christian  message.  They  are 
vitally  related  to  each  other  and  working  unitedly 
have  produced  throughout  the  world  a  pressing 
desire  for  the  ideal  social  order  here  and  now.  This 


Current  Changes  and  the  Religions  World      51 

is  not  immediately  realizable ;  it  may  be  character- 
ized as  a  prophet's  dream  or  a  poet's  imagination, 
but,  in  any  case,  it  will  not  forsake  the  mind  and 
hope  of  struggling  humanity.  It  lingers  like  a  good 
angel  to  lure  the  world  onward  under  the  inspira- 
tions of  hope  and  redemptive  expectation.  It  is 
but  natural  that  with  such  great  forces  at  work  in 
the  heart  of  the  world  the  betterment  movements 
should  go  forward  in  gratifying  cycles  of  power. 
Occasionally  the  progress  becomes  especially  ap- 
parent, the  evidences  of  change  and  readjustment 
rising  to  the  surface  and,  therefore,  easily  discov- 
ered. The  epochs  in  which  the  forces  were  less 
visible  and  the  manifestations  for  improvement  not 
so  marked,  have  always  tried  the  faith  and  persis- 
tence of  humanity.  Nevertheless,  in  a  happy  com- 
bination of  siege  work  and  charge,  of  evolution  and 
revolution,  lie  world  has  moved  forward  to  satisfy 
the  expectations  of  God  and  to  gather  mankind  to 
the  highest  fruitions  and  happiest  fulfillments. 

There  are  in  the  present  world  situation  features 
in  both  the  religious  and  the  economic  world  that 
are  in  common.  The  desire  for  better  social  condi- 
tions for  all  the  people  seems  to  permeate  the  very 
atmosphere.  Touch  men  and  women  on  this  sub- 
ject and  the  interest  is  keen.  Dissatisfaction  with 
almost  everything  as  it  is,  can  be  discovered  in 
almost  everybody.  In  both  the  world  of  business 
and  religion  the  desire  for  unification  and  more  effi- 
cient administration  is  all  but  unanimous  In  the 
commercial  world  competition,  often  keen  and  un- 


52  Torches  Aloft 

scrupulous  as  well  as  wasteful,  has  fallen  under 
challenge.  By  a  strange  aptness  for  blundering, 
we  have  undertaken  the  correction  of  vicious  com- 
petition by  even  more  vicious  monopoly.  We 
are,  however,  discovering  the  value  of  the  qualita- 
tive word.  Many  good  things  are  vitiated  when  cer- 
tain qualities  of  administration  are  connected  with 
them.  Competition  without  a  code  of  honor  or  a 
Christian  conscience  is  irritating  and  destructive. 
The  difficulty  in  either  competition  or  corporation 
control  arises  not  so  much  from  the  principle  in- 
volved as  from  the  fact  that  the  men  operating  un- 
der the  principle  are  lacking  in  Christian  character 
and  social  conscience.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that 
Christendom  needs  a  generation  of  business  men 
who  will  do  business  under  the  passion  and  motives 
of  Christ ;  men  who  will  do  business,  not  so  cer- 
tainly for  their  own  welfare,  as  for  the  welfare  of 
mankind  as  a  governing  passion.  If  you  are  inclined 
to  say  that  this  is  but  a  fond  Utopian  dream,  we  an- 
swer, no,  it  is  not  at  all  a  dream,  but  it  is  the  con- 
structive attitude  to  which  business  men  are  at  last 
to  come.  The  commercial  leaders  are  not  forever 
destined  to  remain  in  blindness  and  selfishness. 
Speaking  thoughtfully  and  deliberately,  monopoly 
as  now  indulged  in  the  United  States,  is  nothing 
short  of  "social  violence."  True,  not  all  the  people 
have  so  classified  it  as  yet,  but  it  is  for  want  of 
thought  and  moral  candor  if  they  have  not.  We  are 
rapidly  coming  to  the  time  when  it  will  be  the  con- 
trolling point  of  view.  We  decry  other  forms  of 


Current  Changes  and  the  Religious  World      53 

social  violence  and  bring  them  into  fear  by  the  open- 
ing doors  of  prison  cells.  The  same  estimate,  moral 
earnestness,  and  indignation,  with  impartial  punish- 
ment, must  come  into  the  American  treatment  of 
the  vast  monopolies  which  override  all  human  rights 
for  the  sake  of  exorbitant  dividends.  Monopoly  has 
come  to  be  the  favorite  method  with  rapacious 
plunderers,  who  are  only  satisfied  as  they  prey  upon 
their  fellows.  The  dragon's  teeth  must  be  taken  out 
of  our  industrialism  and  commercialism  by  the  con- 
straining power  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 

In  the  midst  of  the  current  widespread  agitations, 
it  is  only  fair  to  say.  that  the  Church  is  receptive  to 
the  modern  social  appeal.  She  is  slowly  but  surely 
moving  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight  for  industrial 
righteousness.  At  any  cost  she  will  take  up  the 
cause  of  the  oppressed.  She  has  done  so  in  the  past 
as  she  has  walked  in  the  footsteps  of  her  Lord, 
and  she  will  do  so  again  with  a  mighty  enthusiasm. 
She  is  not  sealed  against  wholesome  and  needed 
readjustment  or  change.  She  may  not  have  given 
the  leadership  that  she  should  have  given ;  she  may 
not  have  come  into  the  open  and  faced  the  battle 
with  predatory  forces,  but  she  has  shown  herself 
willing  and  capable  in  meeting  new  problems  with 
courage  and  accepting  new  duties  in  the  spirit  of  a 
genuine  interest  in  all  mankind.  In  so  far  as  the 
ideals  of  the  business  world  are  worthy  and  sane, 
she  will  adopt  them.  She  confesses  that  her  own 
competitions  have  been  wasteful  and  sometimes  not 
as  careful  of  the  obligations  of  brotherhood  as  they 


54  Torches  Aloft 

should  have  been.  She  admits  a  new  responsibility 
to  the  principle  of  efficiency  about  which  the  busi- 
ness world  hears  so  much  these  days.  She  is  ready 
for  a  new  economy  in  administrative  forces  and 
propagative  methods-  She  is  ready  for  the  world 
outlook  and  the  world  program,  proposing  to  follow 
the  Lord  who  bought  her  with  his  own  blood.  It 
should  be  noted  in  passing  that  the  appreciation 
of  the  different  communions  of  Christians  for  one 
another  is  ever  deepening.  Out  of  now  unjustifi- 
able divisions  and  sectarian  strife  the  church  ex- 
pects to  emerge  to  a  new,  because  a  deeper  loyalty, 
and  to  adopt  every  sane  and  commendable  prin- 
ciple for  the  Christianization  of  the  whole  world  at 
the  earliest  possible  moment.  She  will  magnify 
God  for  the  day  of  his  glorious  visitation  and  the 
enlarged  social  responsibility  which  she  stands 
ready  to  assume. 

The  period,  process,  and  temper  of  change,  and 
the  open  mind,  have  their  dangers.  By  a  kind  of 
intellectual  anesthesia,  we  may  move  over  from  the 
open  mind  about  everything  to  the  point  of  deter- 
mined and  decisive  mind  about  nothing.  All  of  our 
keenness  and  liberality  of  thought  is  lost  if  we  do 
not  think  and  act  decisively  about  the  fundamentals 
to  which  all  right-minded  people  need  to  give  sur- 
render with  a  holy  abandon. 

All  the  anti-Christian  forces  are  now  rallying  in 
united  effort  against  any  and  every  form  of  Chris- 
tianity. In  the  so-called  secular  world,  we  are  in 
danger  of  assuming  seriously  a  deliberate  attitude 


Current  Changes  and  the  Religious  World      55 

toward  the  elimination  of  God  from  normal  consid- 
eration and  consciousness ;  from  an  endeavor  to 
make-believe  that  religion  has  no  fundamental  ur- 
gency, and  that  its  interdictions  are  unwarranted 
intrusions  on  the  modern  mind  which  assumes  to 
have  more  weighty  matters  for  its  consideration. 
We  cannot  forego  the  remark  that,  in  the  light  and 
logic  of  all  American  history,  it  is  unbecoming  and 
even  brazen  to  omit  the  suitable  recognition  of  God 
from  any  public  and  vital  occasion.  Another  dan- 
ger is  imminent  in  the  fact  that  from  our  enthusias- 
tic study  of  anthropology  and  psychology,  which 
naturally  leads  us  to  allow  the  physical  and  social 
unity  of  the  race,  that  we  rush  to  the  unwarranted 
conclusion  that  the  distinction  has  been  eliminated 
between  those  who  have  regenerate  life  from  God 
in  answer  to  personal  faith  and  those  who  do  not. 
Apparently  there  is  a  tendency  to  dull  the  urgency 
for  the  spiritual  life  and  experience  as  a  definite 
objective  in  the  upward  trend  of  the  soul.  We 
have  had  an  unmated  emphasis  on  individual  sal- 
vation because  of  the  omission  of  the  burning  mes- 
sage of  social  righteousness.  Now  we  are  in  danger 
from  a  mere  humanism  as  a  system  of  religion.  Some 
are  ready  to  assume  unqualifiedly  the  universal  di- 
vinity of  human  nature  unregenerated  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God.  This  hasty  omission  of  what  is  vital 
in  the  Christian  religion  is,  as  it  seems  to  me,  a 
most  serious  mistake,  and  the  result  will  be  to  turn 
man  back  upon  himself  only  to  reveal  his  exhaus- 
tion and  bankruptcy  as  to  moral  and  spiritual  char- 


56  Torches  Aloft 

acter.  "Prove  all  things  and  hold  fast  that  which 
is  good,"  is  appropriate  just  now  as  may  be,  never 
before.  If  the  ages  have  taught  us  anything,  they 
have  established  the  fact  that  vital  spiritual  minis- 
try must  come  into  human  personality,  or,  not- 
withstanding some  flashes  of  the  divine  which  visit 
all  men,  there  is  destined  to  be  profound  disappoint- 
ment with  some  of  the  theories  now  adopted  with 
flourish  of  trumpets. 

Let  us  observe  in  conclusion,  that  the  essentials 
of  genuine  Christianity  are  unchangeable.  Observe 
the  emphasis  is  on  the  essentials.  In  the  realm  of 
the  non-essential  we  must  and  should  remain  mo- 
bile and  open  minded  for  warranted  change.  All 
constructive  truth  must  be  made  known  and  so 
sympathetically  accepted  as  to  put  an  end  to  un- 
necessary religious  divisions  and  social  strife.  It 
is  time  the  race  passed  from  division  and  estrange- 
ment to  unity  and  brotherhood.  Laboriously,  but 
heartened  for  the  task,  the  race  is  rinding  the  way  to 
the  great  unifications  and  common  bonds.  A  domi- 
nant principle  is  being  evolved.  It  is  the  principle 
of  democracy  or  confidence  in  collective  humanity. 
This  confidence  in  the  human  possibility  entails 
the  task  of  upbuilding  ministries  in  behalf  of  all 
men,  and  makes  such  a  passion  and  desire  the  com- 
mon duty  of  all  men.  We  are  reaching  toward  a  new 
appreciation  of  the  possible  results  from  the  Chris- 
tian and  scientific  development  of  a  human  being. 
The  world  has  probably  yet  to  discover  all  that  can 
result  from  submitting  child  life  trustfully  and  thor- 


Current  Changes  and  the  Religious  World      57 

oughly  to  the  divine  comradeship  and  law  in  reli- 
gious development.  Some  day  the  world  will  be  so 
enlightened  and  so  minded  and  so  judicious,  as  to 
reckon  the  place  and  function  of  religion  in  human 
development.  The  cost  of  allowing  a  human  life  to 
advance  through  half  its  career  without  the  in- 
dwelling of  the  Christ  and  all  the  nourishing  which 
his  presence  affords,  is  beyond  all  estimate.  A  sci- 
entific study  of  man  as  man,  will  sooner  or  later 
bring  the  world  to  a  complete  admission  and  recog- 
nition of  the  legitimate  place  which  religion 
in  the  evolution  of  mankind. 


VII. 

ONE  RELIGION  FOR  ALL  MEN. 

Even  in  the  most  apologetic  mood,  we  are  bound 
to  admit  that  religious  differences  are  not  con- 
structive. We  may  tolerate  them  and  partially  swal- 
low our  protest,  but  we  fail  to  reach  the  conclusion 
that  they  are  really  helping  the  world.  Like  many 
other  phases  of  human  life  and  experience,  we  have 
grown  accustomed  to  them  until  we  are  not  really 
thoughtful  about  them  at  all ;  we  take  them  by  auto- 
matic consent.  They  certainly  have  caused  us  all, 
at  some  time  or  another,  to  hang  our  heads  in 
shame,  and  wonder  if  there  was  ever  to  be  relief 
or  whether  the  race  must  always  remain  childish 
and  refuse  to  put  away  childish  things.  "When 
that  which  is  perfect  has  come,  then  that  which  is 
in  part  shall  be  done  away." 

The  race  does  need  a  universalized  religion.  Ear- 
nest efforts  are  being  made  to  make  the  whole  world 
cognizant  of  various  other  facts  and  forces  that  are 
of  such  merit  and  utility  as  to  make  their  universal 
use  desirable.  There  is  the  effort  to  introduce  a  uni- 
versal language  and  cause  the  confusions  and  isola- 
tions that  have  followed  the  sad  day  at  the  Tower 
of  Babel  to  be  forgotten  and  overcome.  But  we  all 
know  how  persistently  the  users  of  any  mother 
tongue  contend  for  its  preservation  and  teaching. 


One  Religion  for  All  Men  59 

Such  contentions  are  usually  from  want  of  thought 
and  poorly  justified  prejudice.  The  principle  of  util- 
ity and  future  good  should  decide  and  govern  in 
such  matters.  But  men  are  fond  of  higgling,  and 
there  is  a  subtlety  about  our  preferences  which  we 
exalt  to  undue  importance  so  frequently.  Think  of 
it,  if  you  will — one  religion  for  all  mankind,  and 
what  it  would  at  once  mean  for  human  progress  and 
happiness.  Its  contemplation  is  enough  to  arouse 
the  most  sluggish  mind.  Carlyle  said,  "A  man's 
religion  is  the  most  important  thing  about  him." 
This  trenchant  statement  is  but  a  modern  confirma- 
tion of  what  He  said  about  the  same  subject,  who 
taught  as  never  man  taught.  Christ  did  teach  us  to 
put  first  things  first,  and  that  the  first  thing  was  re- 
ligion. If  it  be  said  that  since  so  many  men  dis- 
claim any  religion  at  all,  their  religion  cannot  be  the 
most  important  thing  about  them,  we  only  need  re- 
ply in  such  case,  "The  man's  religion  is  his  irreligion." 
That  is  a  mighty  poor  kind  of  religion  for  a  man  to 
adopt,  but  it  is  the  best  some  men  have,  as  we  all 
know.  If  a  man  is  religious,  his  religion  is  the  de- 
termining fact  in  his  history.  Even  though  he  may 
be  anything  but  thorough  in  his  religion,  it  is  the 
one  most  outstanding  factor  in  his  life. 

A  hearty  interest  in  religion  and  an  unselfish  in- 
terest in  humanity  are  synonymous  states  of  the 
mind  and  heart.  Wherever  either  of  these  charac- 
teristics genuinely  exist  you  may  be  assured  that 
both  are  present  as  forces  in  the  life.  This  princi- 
ple is  not  always  genuinely  allowed,  but  it  safely 


60  Torches  Aloft 

may  be.  There  can  be  no  unselfish  interest  in  hu- 
manity unless  the  Christ  life  and  love  have  been  in- 
stilled within.  Christianity  immediately  reflects  its 
holy  origin  from  the  heart  that  is  possessed  by  its 
inspirations  and  impels  to  humanward  sympathy 
and  interest.  When  the  value  of  religion  is  to  be 
estimated,  put  this  fact  in  the  inventory.  There  is 
not  as  much  unselfish  interest  in  humanity  as  of  the 
opposite  kind.  Far  too  many  men  are  having  an 
eye  upon  their  fellows  with  a  single  thought,  and 
that  is  self  aggrandizement.  Men  do  make  mer- 
chandise of  their  fellows,  and  this  is  the  cause  of  in- 
finite sorrow  and  burning  judgment  at  the  last,  for 
God  by  his  moral  government  reaches  unfailingly 
every  responsible  being  and  compels  him  to  feel  the 
sanctities  of  life- 

Since  Christianity  is  of  supreme  importance,  it 
will  some  day  take  its  place,  its  rightful  place  in  hu- 
man attention.  This  should  encourage  religious 
workers,  for  they  are  certainly  often  tempted  to 
the  conclusion  that  everything  else  under  the  sun 
has  the  right  of  way  in  human  interest.  The  acid  test 
is  destined  to  reach  many  things  beside  metals,  and 
the  canker  and  curse  of  the  irreligious  attitude  and 
life  are  sure  to  be  properly  estimated  finally.  Re- 
ligion has  nothing  to  fear  from  the  critical  spirit,  for 
the  analysis  will  be  followed  with  synthesis,  and  the 
synthesis  will  magnify  the  values  of  true  religion. 
It  will  require  less  and  less  of  the  merely  hortatory 
to  move  men  toward  religion  as  the  human  mind 
advances  to  higher  type  and  truer  estimate.  True, 


One  Religion  for  All  Men  61 

there  will  always  be  the  downward  pull  of  a  deadly 
depravity,  but  the  uplift  of  higher  and  truer  think- 
ing will  slowly  make  the  attitude  of  the  human  mind 
more  favorable  toward  the  messages  of  religion. 
There  will  be  the  ebb  and  the  flow,  but  the  tide  will 
slowly  rise  toward  sanity  and  wisdom.  Increas- 
ingly the  preacher  will  have  well  accredited  truth 
to  his  hand,  and  he  will  always  be  advantaged  by 
the  climb  upward.  Turn  on  the  light  ye  winged 
minds,  for  everywhere  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall 
at  last  appear.  High  thinking  means  religious  think- 
ing ultimately,  and  it  is  the  last  findings  that  count. 
The  wide  and  generous  diffusion  of  knowledge 
makes  the  problems  of  religion  acute,  because  of  the 
dangers  that  arise  with  the  quickened  quests  of  the 
mind.  Not  but  what  the  quickening  is  to  be  surely 
welcomed,  but  because  of  the  likelihood  of  hasty 
conclusions  that  for  the  time  may  possess  a  sort  of 
infatuation.  At  its  best,  the  human  mind  has  a  pre- 
cariousness  and  uncertainty  in  its  action,  and  its 
processes  disclose  peculiar  lapses  and  conceits.  At 
last  the  homing  is  made  if  the  heart  be  trustful. 

Religion  is  the  science  of  God  and  the  human  soul. 
That  much  said  and  the  heart  leaps  with  an  ardent 
expectancy.  God  and  the  soul — were  there  ever  such 
mighty  words  known  to  the  vocabulary  of  any  other 
world?  God,  on  whom  the  soul  may  rest  when  the 
days  are  cloudy  and  the  plains  of  life  are  bare.  The 
soul,  which  shares  in  the  life  and  aspirations  of  its 
maker,  God.  Each  for  the  other,  and  both  for  eter- 
nity ;  comradeship  and  mutual  exchange  of  love. 


62  Torches  Aloft 

With  the  two  words  central  in  religion,  ought  not 
the  world  to  find  it  comparatively  easy  to  exchange 
its  discords  for  the  great  unisons  which  such  words 
suggest?  No  wonder  we  are  ready  to  admit  that  the 
knowledge  of  religion  is  bound  to  be  compelling. 
Religion  deals  in  what,  for  want  of  a  better  word, 
we  call  the  supernatural.  Some  day  the  soul  will  be 
able  to  dismiss  the  big,  hard  word.  We  already  feel 
the  pull  in  that  direction.  The  face  of  the  race  is  set 
forward.  If  it  shall  move  in  the  direction  indicated, 
it  must  move  toward  the  natural  and  the  super- 
natural as  well ;  deeper  into  nature  and  closer  up 
to  God. 

The  brilliant  Liddon  has  said  that  not  to  be  in- 
terested in  the  life  of  Christ  is  not  only  to  be  irre- 
ligious, but  it  is  to  be  unintelligent.  Men  are  fond 
of  the  mazes  of  philosophical  reasoning.  The  hu- 
man mind  may  move  toward  God  through  philoso- 
phy, but  at  its  best  it  can  go  only  to  a  given  point. 
Beyond  this,  a  new  outfitting  must  be  found.  One 
must  take  ship  at  shore  boundaries.  If  not,  unless  he 
has  command  of  some  other  adapted  means  of  sea 
travel,  he  finds  progress  impossible.  All  philosophy 
and  all  science  must,  sooner  or  later,  merge  into 
questions  of  theology.  What  about  God,  and  the 
soul?  are  questions  that  are  unavoidable.  Every 
great  philosopher  has  splashed  along  the  shore  lines 
of  religion  whether  he  wished  to  do  so  or  not.  Such 
is  the  nature  of  the  human  mind  that  it  must  forever 
do  so.  The  geologists  think  they  have  discovered 
the  order  in  which  the  earth  was  created  and  that 


One  Religion  for  All  Men  63 

they  know  how  old  it  is,  but  they  have  not  found 
out  whether  or  no  it  was  God  who  created  it.  They 
all  adopt  some  theory  of  causation,  but  are  not  clear 
or  harmonious  in  their  findings.  Some  theory  in  the 
premises  they  feel  bound  to  adopt,  for  they  cannot 
escape  the  question  of  creation.  Here,  of  course, 
they  enter  the  field  of  theology  as  well  as  science. 
He  whom  the  geologist  may  fail  to  find,  the  Chris- 
tian has  already  found. 

Science  will  never  fathom  the  problem  of  the  uni- 
verse, for  it  transcends  the  human  intellect.  Like 
the  piano,  the  mind  has,  after  all,  but  a  limited 
range.  Both  above  and  below  the  octaves  within 
which  the  piano  does  its  work  the  silence  is  omi- 
nous. Marvelous  harmonies  are  possible  within  its 
compass,  but  who  knows  what  lies  beyond?  We 
know  something  of  the  little  earth  on  which  we  live, 
and  within  certain  painful  limitations  we  form  opin- 
ions as  to  the  vast  universe  which  environs  the 
world.  About  all  we  can  do  is  to  employ  our  pow- 
ers of  imagination  and  let  it  go  at  that.  Our  minds 
can  go  a  little  way  in  the  study  of  natural  force  and 
phenomenon,  but  they  pause  before  the  unsolved 
mysteries  of  the  universe.  In  these  regions  all 
the  race  are  akin  with  the  common  admission  that 
they  are  beyond  their  depth.  Here  the  religion  of 
Christ  comes  to  the  rescue  and  the  mind  reaches 
rest  where  it  cannot  fully  explain  or  understand. 
This  universal  human  need  can  best  be  met  by  the 
message  of  a  universal  religion,  and  that  religion 
can  best  be  universalized,  that  is  best  adapted  to 


64  Torches  Aloft 

i 

the  universal  requirements.  The  proposal  of  Chris- 
tianity is,  that  the  method  of  test  as  to  adaptation 
shall  be  the  experimental  method.  This  method  is 
sane  and  satisfying. 

The  prevalence  of  one  religion  is  of  the  supremest 
importance  because  it  conditions  the  highest  social 
progress.  No  ordinary  gait  in  the  above  direction 
will  satisfy  the  modern  demand.  The  matter  of  di- 
rection is  only  second  to  the  matter  of  speed.  Too 
slow,  in  these  days  can  easily  be  ruinous.  Start  out 
in  any  campaign  for  social  reform  and  the  embar- 
rassment that  comes  from  warring  religions  is  soon 
felt.  In  many  causes  of  the  most  vital  importance 
the  good  movement  is  often  defeated  because  of  the 
cleavage  made  by  the  different  religions.  It  would 
be  comparatively  easy  to  promote  social  reform  if 
the  alignment  could  come  on  the  main  issue,  instead 
of  the  cross  wires  of  religious  complexity  interfering 
to  break  up  an  otherwise  dominant  support.  Refer- 
ence is  sometimes  made  to  those  countries  in  which 
a  single  religious  faith  exists,  and  yet  social  progress 
is  very  slow  and  unsatisfactory.  The  answer  to 
such  reference  is,  that  in  such  case  the  religion  prev- 
alent is  not  the  true  religion,  and  most  unquestion- 
ably not  the  genuine  Christian  religion.  In  some 
countries  where  tolerance  in  religion  does  not  exist 
and  where  the  religion  that  is  dominant  claims  to  be 
the  Christian  religion,  it  is  evident  that  a  lapse  from 
genuine  Christianity  has  occurred. 

Whenever  any  religion  has  had  full  control  for  a 
long  period  of  time,  and  social  progress  has  been 


One  Religion  for  All  Men  65 

paralyzed  and  held  back,  it  is  self-evident  that  the 
religion  assuming  control  is  not  genuine  and  virile. 
Here  the  religions  of  the  world  must  absolutely  face 
the  test  and  accept  the  verdict,  "By  their  fruits  ye 
shall  know  them."  More  and  more  Christianity 
will  be  submitted  to  this  test  of  social  efficiency. 
The  great  founder  of  Christianity  never  shrank  from 
this  principle  and  he  does  not  to  this  day.  If  the 
Church,  which  presumes  to  represent  him  does,  it 
will  repudiate  by  so  much  the  Lord  who  has  called 
upon  it  to  serve  human  welfare  in  his  name.  The 
age  is  ready  for  a  new  interpretation  of  the  Church 
and  it  is  coming.  If  the  organized  Church  gets  in 
che  way  of  our  Lord's  program  for  social  justice  and 
progress,  then  the  world  will  discriminate  between 
true  Christianity  and  the  ecclesiasticism  that  mis- 
represents him.  The  demand  that  churchmen  shall 
reflect  in  the  business  world  the  very  spirit  of  Christ 
is  fast  becoming  imperative  in  tone.  A  social  ex- 
pression of  Christianity  is  the  only  one  that  will  be 
accepted  in  this  practical  age.  If  Christianity  can, 
in  the  light  of  such  a  test  as  this,  meet  the  world's 
need,  it  is  reasonable  to  expect  that  it  will  become 
speedily  the  one  religion  for  all  men. 

It  will  be  found,  on  the  most  careful  examination, 
that  religious  beliefs  are  the  determining  factors  in 
the  social  progress  of  any  people.  Christianity  is 
unique  among  the  religions  as  to  the  character  and 
conduct  which  it  prescribes.  The  character  and  con- 
duct prescribed  are  of  distinguishing  social  signifi- 
cance. Take  up  the  Christian  virtues  one  by  one 


o6  Torches  Aloft 

and  observe  what  their  existence  is  sure  to  mean  in 
all  that  affects  human  society.  Study  the  mind  of 
Christ  and  incarnate  his  spirit,  and  observe  the  so- 
cial effect.  It  does  not  require  a  vivid  imagination  to 
picture  the  new  industrial  and  economic  conditions 
that  would  obtain.  Almighty  God,  hasten  by  thy 
power. 


VIII. 

RELIGION  AND  SOCIAL  REFORM. 

Since  the  movement  of  mankind  is  toward  author- 
ity from  democracy,  no  social  reform  is  possible 
save  as  the  units  of  society  are  pervaded  with  com- 
mon ideals.  No  force  is  so  certain  to  produce  social 
ideals  of  the  right  sort  as  is  the  Christian  religion. 
All  the  religions  except  Christianity  are  divisive. 
Christianity  alone  stands  for  the  unity  of  the  race 
and  for  the  universal  welfare.  It  has  no  note  of 
discrimination  as  between  races,  but  recognizes  the 
uniform  dignity  of  all  humanity.  Since  Christianity 
is,  therefore,  the  great  unifying  force,  it  is  very  evi- 
dent that  it  must  be  at  the  basis  of  all  genuine  social 
progress.  Unfortunately,  Christianity  is  not  the 
only  religion  to  claim  the  allegiance  of  the  race.  No 
antipathies  are  as  strong  as  the  religious  antipa- 
thies. While  one  naturally  thinks  of  any  kind  of  re- 
ligion as  inspiring  to  brotherly  feeling  and  good 
wishes,  yet,  by  a  strange  perversity  of  the  human 
heart,  history  shows  how  various  portions  of  man- 
kind have  indulged  in  the  bitterest  hatred  toward 
their  fellow  men  on  the  ground  of  religious  differ- 
ences only.  Substantially,  the  attitude  has  been, 
"His  religion  is  not  my  religion  and  therefore  I  hate 
him." 

Christianity  makes  the  unique  proposition  of  im- 
parting power  to  convert  persons  from  their  sins 


68  Torches  Aloft 

and  to  give  them  citizenship  in  the  moral  and  spir- 
itual kingdom  through  the  process  which  we  ordi- 
narily designate  by  the  word  "salvation."  This  dis- 
tinct message  of  Christianity  makes  it  possible  to 
classify  religionists  of  all  sorts  and  kinds  as  com- 
pared to  this  fundamental  statement.  History  has 
demonstrated  that  Christianity  is  the  supreme  force 
for  equality  and  unity.  After  caste  has  set  up  its 
superficial  barriers  to  love  and  communion  they  are 
hard  to  remove.  Only  one  power  has  been  found 
adequate,  and  that  is  the  power  of  Christ.  Uniformly 
the  result  is  the  same  wherever  Christ  is  enthroned 
in  the  heart,  and  men  at  once  look  upon  all  men  as 
their  brothers.  The  plurality  of  religions  makes  very 
complex  the  task  of  bringing  a  better  social  order  to 
the  world.  How  shall  we  have  the  ideal  social  order 
until  we  have  made  universal  the  ideal  religion 
which  must  lie  at  the  foundation  of  such  an  event? 
There  are  many  people  who  do  not  think  how  se- 
rious the  great  diversity  of  religions  must  always 
be-  They  go  upon  the  supposition  that  the  matter 
is  to  be  relegated  to  the  realm  of  the  speculative 
rather  than  the  potential.  This  is  a  superficial  view. 
Universal  brotherhood  was  the  dream  of  the  proph- 
ets in  the  centuries  before  the  Christ  came ;  now 
universal  brotherhood  is  the  goal  presented  in 
the  message  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Christ  antici- 
pated the  time  when  there  should  be  a  common  re- 
ligion throughout  the  world.  He  had  no  other 
thought  than  that  the  religion  of  which  he  was  the 
exponent,  high  priest,  and  head,  would  continue  a 


Religion  and  Social  Reform  69 

constructive  reign  until  all  men  were  embraced  in 
its  assurances  and  truth. 

History  has  demonstrated  that  a  false  religion  is 
the  supreme  deterent  of  social  progress.  If  a  man's 
religion  is  defective,  his  social  ideals  are  of  the  like 
character.  As  Wescott  says,  "Conduct  in  the  long 
run  corresponds  with  belief."  What  shall  we  say, 
then,  of  all  this  silly  talk  about  matters  of  belief 
having  little  or  no  importance?  Logically  and 
psychologically  the  religious  beliefs  are  the  fore- 
runners in  the  formation  of  society,  as  well  as  the 
individual  character. 

Rome  made  surrender  to  a  false  religion  and  she 
was  led  to  the  slaughter  by  her  resultant  animalism 
and  decadent  morality.  It  was  the  same  force  that 
led  Pliny  to  announce  that  so  far  as  he  could  see 
suicide  was  to  be  practiced  as  the  gift  of  the  gods. 
The  present  state  of  society  in  India  and  China  must 
be  decidedly  changed  before  these  countries  shall 
cease  to  become  a  liability  among  the  nations  of  the 
world.  Social  customs  that  are  destructive  must  be 
displaced  by  those  which  build  up  the  social  order. 
Christianity  has  made  no  inconsiderable  social 
change  in  both  of  these  great  nations,  but  greater 
changes  are  to  be  made  and  must  be  made.  They 
will  never  come  until  false  religions  have  given  way 
to  the  true.  The  religious  problems,  say  what  we 
will,  must  forever  remain  the  chief  concern.  When, 
therefore,  an  effort  is  made  to  excite  in  the  mind  of 
every  American  an  interest  in  the  world-wide  propa- 
gation of  the  religion  of  Christ,  let  it  be  understood 


70  Torches  Aloft 

that  the  interest  is  solicited  not  only  for  the  pur- 
pose of  what  we  ordinarily  call  the  salvation  of  the 
soul,  but  it  is  for  the  purpose  of  reforming  the  social 
evils  of  the  world.  So  long  as  in  unchristian  lands 
the  lives  of  the  people  are  essentially  identified  with 
their  false  religions,  so  long  will  the  age  of  universal 
social  efficiency  be  postponed.  The  unchristian  civi- 
lizations are  going  ahead  with  an  inadequate  knowl- 
edge of  Christ.  In  America  our  social  order  is  in 
process  under  the  tutoring  of  Christianity.  If 
Christianity  has  her  way,  the  slum  life  at  both  ex- 
tremes of  our  social  order  will  go.  Our  civilization 
has  demonstrated  that  we  can  have  slum  life  among 
the  very  rich  as  well  as  among  the  very  poor.  The 
message  of  Christ  has  in  view  the  high  average 
social  efficiency  for  all  our  people.  Can  we  ever 
have  the  high  average  universalized?  Whenever 
Christianity  has  done  its  work  in  civilization,  it  will 
be  so. 

Christianity  cannot  fail  to  deal  with  labor,  indus- 
try, commerce,  and  politics.  These  are  all  great  for- 
ces for  the  weal  or  the  woe  of  our  people.  If 
the  message  of  Christ  shall  be  carried  four-square 
into  all  of  them,  it  will  be  the  deliverance  of  the 
American  nation.  All  right  thinking  is  urging  us 
forward  to  the  conception  that  Christianity  is  the 
most  constructive  force  to  which  any  people  can 
yield  itself.  It  is  the  supreme  utility.  The  evils 
which  blight  many  phases  of  modern  life  can  be  and 
shall  be  eliminated.  Why  not?  They  have  no  right 
to  exist.  They  are  intruders  in  a  world  which  God 


Religion  and  Social  Reform  71 

intended  should  be  full  of  peace  and  love  and  com- 
fort. Christianity  alone  can  cleanse  our  civilization 
from  these  harassing  evils.  Child  labor,  trusts, 
unions,  strikes,  sweat  shops,  and  the  liquor  traffic 
are  at  bottom  religious  questions;  that  is,  the 
message  of  religion  will  finally  be  accepted  as  the 
only  method  of  defending  society  against  the  blight 
of  these  inhuman  forces.  What  does  religion  say 
about  these,  and  what  does  religion  put  in  their 
places  is  a  matter  of  most  practical  concern.  Tap 
roots  of  evil  like  these  would  not  grow  in  the  soil 
of  our  American  life  if  there  were  not  large  numbers 
of  irreligious  people  who  shelter  these  roots  and  af- 
ford them  hospitable  soil  for  their  home  and  growth. 
These  evils  all  require  more  than  a  political  and  leg- 
islative poultice  as  good  as  these  are  in  their  place. 
Politics  and  legislation  can  no  longer  be  excused 
from  taking  the  Christian  attitude  toward  these 
evils.  But  suffusing  all  and  deeper  than  all  are  the 
profound  spiritual  transformations  which  Christ  in- 
dicates as  the  supreme  remedy.  Christ  does  reach 
the  seat  of  the  disease.  By  so  much  as  there  are 
flashes  of  false  religion  in  the  life  of  the  American 
people,  by  so  much  do  we  make  impossible  the  so- 
cial progress  for  which  all  high-thinking  people  are 
increasingly  anxious.  Let  us  think  through  the  lab- 
ryinths  of  false  religion  until  we  have  reached  the 
clear  conceptions  that  are  sure  to  come  with  the 
study  of  the  Christian  message.  Let  us  persist  un- 
til the  air  is  clear  and  the  social  order  yields  to  the 
uplift.  The  urgency  is  upon  us.  Millions  are  in 


72  Torches  Aloft 

helplessness.     The  day  of  our  opportunity  is  soon 
gone. 

It  must  be  self-evident  that  every  religion, 
whether  true  or  false,  reflects  itself  in  the  social  life 
of  the  people.  The  true  sociology  can,  however,  only 
come  from  the  true  religion.  In  these  days  when 
the  social  aspects  of  Christianity  are  having  an  em- 
phasis hitherto  unknown,  some  people  are  ready  to 
say  that  the  world  is  getting  into  the  church  and 
religion.  This  is  because  the  average  Christian  mind 
has  not  been  trained  to  a  just  appreciation  of  sec- 
ular wholesomeness  and  efficiency.  Of  course  we 
should  not  have  the  word  "secular,"  if  it  were  not 
that  the  complete  message  of  Christianity  has  not 
been  hitherto  given  to  the  world.  In  short,  religion 
to-day,  is  getting1  into  the  social  order  and  nothing 
is  reckoned  as  outside  its  rightful  interest  and 
bounden  duty.  No  great  problem  of  civilization  can 
be  settled  without  the  helps  and  controls  of  the 
Lord  Christ.  He  is  indeed  the  embodiment  of  social 
dynamic.  Power  from  him  to  elevate  the  nation,  to 
cleanse  all  our  processes,  to  lift  up  all  our  lives,  is 
graciously  available  and  awaiting  the  draft  of  faith, 
and  prayer,  and  appreciation. 


IX. 


THE  UPWARD  PULL  OF  CHRISTIANITY 

Genuine  and  rapid  social  development  is  the  in- 
variable outcome  and  parallel  of  genuine  religious 
life  and  development.  A  state  of  religious  genuine- 
ness is  not  easily  obtained.  Christianity  is  the  one 
measuring  stick  of  all  energy  and  quality.  Its  tests 
are  inexorable  and  its  white  throne  cannot  be 
bribed.  No  variations  by  a  hair's  breadth  can  ever 
be  made  in  its  fundamental  requisites  and  standards. 
This  is  not  the  language  of  severity ;  it  is  the  lan- 
guage which  genuineness  compels.  True  religion  is 
ample  and  all  embracing;  nothing  in  the  whole  cir- 
cle of  one's  life  may  escape  its  control  and  challenge. 
The  whole  diameter  and  content  of  life  is  uplifted 
into  the  comfort  of  an  abiding  comradeship  with 
omnipotence.  Prostrate  though  we  be  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  lofty  requirement  of  such  religion  as 
this,  it  nevertheless  is  the  prostration  which  must 
come  before  the  great  character  changes  take  place. 
Christ  does  lift  up  the  whole  life  into  an  effect- 
ive unity.  Can  anything  so  subtle,  elusive,  and 
potent  as  human  life  be  brought  into  unity?  Is 
there  such  a  thing  as  life  harmony,  and  unison  of  the 
human  with  the  divine?  Human  nature  is  a  com- 
plete circle  and  cannot  be  elevated  by  fractional 


74  Torches  Aloft 

pressures.  Effort  to  elevate  a  building  by  applying 
the  power  at  one  side  has  but  one  possible  result, 
and  that  is  the  collapse  of  the  building.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  care  be  taken  to  bring  to  bear  the  pressure 
evenly,  the  entire  building,  even  though  compara- 
tively fragile,  can  be  lifted  safely  and  moved  at  will. 
Elevation  before  motion  is  essential.  The  proposal 
of  Christ  is  inward,  essential,  uplifting  power,  and 
this  constitutes  the  upward  pull  of  Christianity.  If 
one  undertook  to  move  a  building  without  elevating 
it  from  its  contact  with  the  earth,  he  would  be  act- 
ing just  as  sanely  as  one  does  who  proposes  to  hold 
life  responsible  for  high  moralities  without  the  pres- 
ence of  Christ.  Penitence,  a  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  is 
efficient  and  logical  because  it  opens  the  gateway  to 
the  soul  and  allows  the  Christ  to  come  in  with  all  his 
upward  pressures  and  potencies.  He  is  the  dynamic 
necessary  to  set  us  safely  in  the  center  of  all  the 
Christian  processes. 

It  is  gradually  dawning  in  the  minds  of  men  that 
Christ  proposes  to  make  sacred  not  only  one  day  in 
seven,  but  the  entire  seven  days  in  the  life  of  the 
world.  He  will  teach  the  world  how  to  live,  love, 
and  serve  together  every  day.  It  is  this  unique  pro- 
posal of  Christ  to  humanize  and  make  sacred  the 
complete  cycle  of  the  days  that  constitutes  Chris- 
tianity the  religion  of  the  upward  pull.  This  is 
enthroning  divine  omnipotence  upon  human  inertia 
and  the  enthronement  is  essential.  It  is  the  impact 
of  life  on  the  boundaries  of  death.  Christianity  de- 


The  Upward  Pull  of  Christianity  75 

mands  the  convert,  and  the  convert's  experience  im- 
mediately identifies  him  with  Christ  in  this  upward 
pull  for  and  with  mankind.  Christ  installs  the  note 
of  evangelism  and  conqest  so  that  no  sooner  have  we 
come  to  know  him  than  we  feel  the  sacred  commis- 
sion to  make  him  known  to  others.  Christ  embod- 
ies the  qualities  and  experiences  which  the  convert 
appraises  as  the  best  and  holiest  experiences  possi- 
ble in  any  soul,  so  that  the  compulsions  to  evangel- 
ism are  normal  in  the  Christian  life.  The  Christian 
can  never  be  at  one  with  human  beings  unwon  to 
the  Redeemer  King.  Christianity  can  never  be  at 
rest  until  the  entire  race  is  under  the  universal 
reign  of  Jesus  as  Lord.  It  must  in  so-called  Chris- 
tian lands  challenge  the  social  order  until  it  is  made 
Christian  through  and  through. 

To  multiply  his  essential  Christian  experience  is 
the  dominant  passion  of  every  true  Christian.  It  has 
brought  him  such  a  ministry  of  comfort  and  uplift 
that  out  of  the  purest  and  most  unselfish  love  he 
would  have  the  same  ministry  installed  in  the  lives 
of  all  his  fellow  men.  The  ideal  Christian  life  is 
based  on  normal  development  in  the  Christian  expe- 
rience, and  vice  versa.  The  Christian  experience  en- 
genders fine  and  exalted  ideals  which  may  not  be 
disregarded  without  impairing  the  experience  and 
causing  it  to  be  sub-normal.  When  the  normal  de- 
velopment goes  on,  the  passion  for  evangelism 
grows  stronger  with  the  passing  of  the  years.  Hav- 
ing received  the  grace  of  the  Savior  and  Lord,  iden- 


76  Torches  Aloft 

tification  with  his  program  is  imperative  at  any  cost. 
His  program  is  comprehensive  and  provides  ample 
scope  for  all  constructive  human  energy  and  activ- 
ity. The  primary  passion  of  Christianity  will  never 
be  restrained  until  world-wide  missions  have  done 
their  gracious  work.  The  missionary  passion  of 
Christianity  is  now  installed  in  the  life  of  the  race 
and  it  will  never  be  exterminated.  It  moves  forward 
with  a  strength  augmented  by  every  convert  secured 
and  every  life  helped.  This  bent  to  soul  winning 
feeds  upon  its  every  day  achievements.  It  makes 
necessary  the  constant  evangelistic  activity  of  the 
Christian.  No  Christian  life  and  experience  can  be 
kept  vital  without  it. 

Touching  the  whole  problem  of  evangelizing  the 
world,  it  should  be  noted  that  courage  is  rising  and 
the  expectation  that  the  unfinished  task  will  be  con- 
summated speedily  is  pulsing  in  the  life  of  the  pres- 
ent and  coming  generation.  As  courage  rises,  the 
necessary  resources  are  dedicated  to  the  noble  and 
holy  enterprise.  Inspiration  in  the  hearts  of  God's 
people  becomes  more  pronounced  and  active.  Young 
people  offer  themselves  in  increasing  numbers  for 
the  service  of  God  and  humanity.  Missionary  secre- 
taries are  not  generally  called  upon  to  plead  with 
Boards  of  Control  for  challenging  outlines  of  ad- 
vance. A  higher  type  of  administrative  wisdom  is 
in  evidence  and  all  the  great  missionary  societies  are 
moving  upward  into  higher  efficiency  as  related  to 
their  great  work.  Time  was  when  the  boards 


The  Upward  Pull  of  Christianity  77 

scarcely  thought  of  a  scientific  administration  of  the 
resources  at  their  command.  Now  all  the  boards 
work  through  representative  and  permanent  com- 
missions and  these  commissions  work  continuously 
through  long  periods  of  time,  not  presuming  that 
any  devotion  short  of  this  would  be  at  all  worthy 
of  their  great  responsibility.  All  the  mission  fields 
are  studied  with  care  even  to  every  detail.  The 
strong  minded  men  of  all  Christendom  are  coming 
to  feel  that  there  is  but  one  universal  appealing  un- 
dertaking, and  that  is  the  Christianization  of  the 
entire  race. 

Concerning  the  work  of  home  missions,  the  judg- 
ment prevails  among  the  administrative  officers  of 
all  the  churches  that  this  vital  department  of  activ- 
ity and  service  must  be  more  judiciously  and  ade- 
quately promoted.  A  program  which  presumes  on 
the  giving  and  using  of  small  and  inconsequential 
sums  of  money  for  a  task  so  colossal  as  that  of  the 
Christianization  of  America  is  now  felt  to  be  inap- 
propriate and  unworthy.  The  business  men  of  our 
country  are  coming  to  see  that  if  our  institutions  are 
to  be  perpetuated  in  an  ever-increasing  efficiency. 
and  if  our  civilization  is  to  be  progressive  and  abid- 
ing, and  even  our  prosperity  assured,  the  religious 
message  must  be  exalted  to  its  true  and  logical  place 
in  American  attention.  The  issue  of  a  genuine  reli- 
gion for  all  the  world  and  all  the  world  for  a  genuine 
religion  is  on,  and  it  will  compel  attention  increas- 
ingly in  all  parts  of  the  world.  Men  of  strong  and 


78  Torches  Aloft 

rugged  life  are  appreciating  the  challenge  which  our 
material  prosperity  is  lodging  at  the  door  of  the 
Church.  Among  non-Christian  people  and  even  in 
non-Christian  lands  there  is  a  craving  more  or  less 
clearly  defined  for  a  unity  of  faith  and  order.  In  our 
own  country  contact  with  the  unchurched  masses 
all  but  invariably  reveals  a  sentiment  in  favor  of  a 
larger  union  of  Christian  forces.  The  Christian  fun- 
damentals are  accredited  as  having  a  royal  right  to 
the  interest  and  obedience  of  all  the  race.  Men  are 
less  inclined  than  they  were  even  a  few  years  ago  to 
withhold  themselves  from  the  enrichments  and  con- 
trols of  religion.  The  presuppositions  of  Christi- 
anity are  more  universally  accepted  than  formerly, 
and  there  is  an  unmistakable  movement  for  the  in- 
stallation of  Christianity  in  the  entire  social  order. 
We  are  coming  to  see  that  the  claims  and  mandates 
of  religion  are  not  arbitrary,  but  are  immediately  re- 
lated to  genuine  human  welfare.  They  are  not  the 
outgivings  of  ecclesiastical  or  priestly  caprice,  but 
fit  exactly  into  the  nature  and  need  of  mankind.  It 
is  only  as  men  examine  the  claims  of  religion  super- 
ficially that  they  are  able  to  conclude  that  religion  is 
to  be  looked  upon  as  abnormal.  Men  are  coming  to 
know  that  the  claims  and  laws  of  religion  are  nor- 
mal and  assure  normal  life  and  power  to  mankind. 
Men  now  give  attention  without  strained  effort  to 
the  message  of  the  Christian  gospel.  All  the  scat- 
tered and  isolated  sons  of  men  are  to  come  into  a 
healing,  religious  brotherhood,  where  the  scars  that 
are  made  by  evil  are  to  be  forgotten  as  the  forces  of 


The  Upward  Pull  of  Christianity  79 

evil  themselves  are  restrained  and  pass  away.  The 
brotherhood  of  the  renewed  sons  of  God  is  to  be  as 
wide  as  the  race.  Christianity  alone  sets  before  a 
weary  and  exhausted  age  a  revelation  that  clarifies, 
a  gospel  that  meets  the  universal  human  need,  and  a 
Savior  who  is  the  embodiment  of  the  revelation  and 
the  one  perfect  incarnation  of  the  gospel. 


X. 


DEMOCRACY  AND  GOVERNMENT 

The  American  people  are  most  unquestionably 
committed  to  democracy  as  a  system  of  government. 
We  are  mid-stream  in  the  great  experiment.  We 
have  not  solved  all  of  our  problems  and  many  of 
them  seem  to  be  especially  urgent  at  this  time.  Our 
definition  of  democracy  is,  of  course,  growing. 
New  developments  in  our  social  and  industrial  life 
compel  the  extension  of  the  principles  of  democracy 
into  fields  hitherto  untouched  and  untried.  Under 
this  form  of  government  the  method  of  selecting  offi- 
cials is  by  popular  vote  instead  of  having  them  come 
through  heredity  and  a  royal  line.  Under  any  form 
of  government,  government  itself  is  a  fundamental 
problem.  This  is  even  more  so  when  the  proposal  is 
that  all  the  people  are  sovereigns  and  have  theoret- 
ically an  equal  responsibility  in  determining  govern- 
mental agencies  and  policies. 

It  is  an  accepted  principle  in  a  democratic  form  of 
government  that  every  good  shall  be  equitably  dis- 
tributed and  made  as  nearly  as  possible  universal. 
Intelligence,  which  is  the  cornerstone  of  popular 
government,  must  be  brought  within  the  reach  of  all. 
If  any  are  indifferent  and  show  a  disposition  to 
neglect  the  means  of  intelligence,  it  becomes  the 
duty  of  the  state  to  overcome  that  neglect.  Every- 


Democracy  and  Government  81 

thing  done  is  with  a  view  to  procuring  the  social 
efficiency  of  all  the  people.  There  is  constantly  in 
mind  equal  opportunity  and  equal  justice  for  all.  It 
is  unthinkable  that  we  should  have  favored  classes 
who  shall  live  on  special  favors.  No  invisible  gov- 
ernment can  be  allowed  to  exist.  Every  influence, 
school  of  thought,  or  organization  which  proposes 
to  have  to  do  with  the  government  must  come  into 
the  open  and  stand  the  searchlight  of  publicity. 

There  are  objections  offered  by  serious  students 
to  our  democracy.  For  instance,  it  is  argued  that 
because  no  citizen  may  know  in  advance  that  he  is 
to  be  called  upon  to  rule  and  administer  for  the  peo- 
ple, therefore,  the  ruler  must  often  be  an  untrained 
man.  The  most  enthusiastic  advocate  of  our  de- 
mocracy will  admit  that  there  may  be  some  advan- 
tages where  a  monarch  comes  to  his  throne  because 
of  membership  in  a  royal  family,  and  who  carries 
into  his  official  responsibility  a  genuine  and  sympa- 
thetic interest  in  the  real  welfare  of  his  people.  Such 
a  one,  feeling  from  his  early  years  that  he  is  des- 
tined to  be  a  ruler,  may  devote  himself  most  fruit- 
fully to  preparation  for  his  rulership.  This  is  ideal 
indeed,  and  unfortunately  has  not  always  been  illus- 
trated in  the  monarchs  of  the  world.  Our  answer 
to  this  objection,  however,  is  that  the  very  fact  of 
official  position  being  possible  to  any  citizen  is  a 
leverage  for  high-grade  citizenship  and  an  inspira- 
tion to  the  acquiring  of  high  ability  of  every  kind. 
Since  in  a  democracy  all  men  have  an  equal  oppor- 
tunity for  political  preferment,  they  must,  as  a  mat- 


82  Torches  Aloft 

ter  of  course,  feel  the  necessity  of  being  ready  for 
any  such  exigency.  Hence,  since  we  are  to  think 
about  the  elevation  of  averages  in  the  midst  of  our 
people,  we  are  tenacious  of  the  view  that  democracy 
as  a  system  of  government  affords  a  superior  inspi- 
ration to  good  citizenship  and  general  efficiency. 

The  objectors  to  democracy  also  tell  us  that  we 
are  sure  to  suffer  from  extravagance  and  graft.  It 
is  sufficient  answer  to  this  to  say  that  the  criticism 
is  not  well  grounded.  True,  in  a  government  such 
as  ours,  more  or  less  of  this  weakness  will  appear 
in  certain  stages  of  progress.  But  the  weaknesses 
are  destined  inevitably  to  fall  out  gradually  from 
the  life  of  the  people.  There  must  be  such  a  fer- 
ment of  public  interest  and  such  a  growing  demand 
for  efficiency  and  honesty  as  will  make  these  vipers 
appear  more  and  more  hideous.  Then,  when  the 
correction  does  come,  it  has  the  support  of  public 
opinion,  a  majority,  and  intelligent  consent.  In  a 
democracy  there  is  a  way  of  reaching  these  things 
such  as  is  found  in  no  other  form  of  government. 
The  theory  that  the  power  is  vested  in  the  people 
must  finally  work  itself  out.  It  has  much  merit, 
such  grasp  and  control,  that  in  the  end  every  evil 
thing  must  go  down  before  the  power  of  advancing 
public  sentiment. 

It  has  been  said  that  in  a  democracy  panics  can 
but  be  more  frequent  than  under  an  autocratic  form 
of  government.  Here  again  the  answer  is  that  de- 
mocracy makes  a  favorable  showing  in  comparison 
with  monarchial  governments  in  this  respect.  De- 


Democracy  and  Government  83 

mocracy  is  comparatively  new  and  has  not  had  cen- 
turies of  opportunity  to  develop  and  prove  its 
power.  It  is  now  becoming  evident  that  in  our  own 
country  the  panics  have  been  almost  invariably  the 
result  of  sharp  practices  and  unscrupulous  financiers. 
It  has  been  a  favorite  method  with  big  business  to 
bring  on  a  panic  deliberately  whenever  the  Govern- 
ment offended  its  mightiness.  At  the  present  time, 
however,  the  Government  is  recovering  its  poise 
and  control.  Even  Wall  Street  does  not  have  the 
temerity  to  presume  to  bring  on  a  great  financial  de- 
pression. Instead  of  punishing  the  Government 
when  its  policies  are  true  to  the  general  principles 
of  democracy,  the  would-be  promoters  of  panics  are 
now  held  in  leash  and  compelled  to  fear  the  power 
of  the  whole  people  as  expressed  in  their  govern- 
mental authority. 

We  are  told  again  that  we  are  bound  to  suffer 
from  weak  and  corrupted  officials.  We  are  stanch 
believers  in  the  evolution  of  society.  We  believe 
that  this  manifestation  in  our  national  life  can  be  re- 
moved and  is  being  removed.  It  is  as  evident  as 
can  be  that  fewer  of  our  officials  to-day  can  be 
bribed  from  duty  than  ever  before  in  our  history. 
The  number  will  grow  less  from  year  to  year.  The 
very  seriousness  of  our  universal  responsibility  will 
compel  our  officials  to  rise  up  in  strength  and  smite 
the  foes  of  the  people. 

It  has  been  averred  that  the  selection  to  adminis- 
trative leadership  cannot  be  so  certainly  providen- 
tial when  done  by  the  voice  of  the  people  as  com- 


84  Torches  Aloft 

pared  with  the  progeny  of  a  royal  household.  The 
answer  to  this  of  course  is  the  statement  of  facts  as 
revealed  in  the  history  of  our  own  republic  for  even 
these  few  years.  Our  long-  list  of  presidents  has 
afforded,  with  almost  unvarying  certainty,  the  lead- 
ership of  a  fine  and  splendid  life.  If  God  has  not 
been  in  the  selection  of  American  governmental 
leaders,  we  would  not  know  where  to  look  for  a 
chapter  in  world  history  that  would  lead  us  to  con- 
clude that  he  has  appeared  anywhere  in  the  direc- 
tion of  human  affairs.  Most  assuredly  the  voice  of 
the  people  may  be  the  voice  of  God. 

We  are  told,  too,  that  the  fact  of  democracy  in  ap- 
plication being  limited  to  such  authority  as  public 
opinion  may  give  it,  is  thereby  handicapped.  But 
we  answer,  What  is  the  real  basis  of  social  progress 
if  it  be  not  public  opinion?  No  matter  what  kind  of 
government  is  being  administered,  public  opinion  is 
in  the  ultimate  the  base  line  of  operations.  Public 
opinion  is  finally  dominant  and  conclusive.  Public 
opinion  has  overthrown  the  king  and  turned  him 
from  his  palace  away.  It  has  ended  the  reign  of 
monarchs  abruptly  and  compelled  autocrats  and  des- 
pots to  stand  in  fear.  It  is  the  one  power  dreaded 
by  all  the  enemies  of  human  progress  and  welfare. 
It  is  the  glory  of  our  democracy  that  public  opinion 
is  the  final  arbiter  in  all  our  contentions.  Every 
great  cause  has  the  right  of  appeal  to  public  opinion. 
It  has  the  duty  also  of  making  the  public  opinion 
intelligent,  of  formulating  its  ideals,  of  keeping 
alive  its  energy,  and  expressing  its  sovereignties. 


85 


If  it  be  said  that  public  opinion  is  likely  to  be  vac- 
illating, the  answer  is,  Not  more  so  than  any  indi- 
vidual, monarch  though  he  be,  is  likely  to  be  vac- 
illating. Public  opinion  rises  up  like  a  great  giant, 
slowly  but  surely  into  fixedness  of  attitude,  and 
what,  for  the  time,  is  finality  in  form  and  plan.  It 
has  the  advantage,  too,  under  a  democracy,  of  being- 
compelled  to  listen  to  the  demand  for  readjustment, 
as  that  demand  becomes  worthy  and  well  grounded. 
Under  a  monarchical  form  of  government,  years  and 
even  centuries  wear  away  with  a  people  depressed 
and  power  ridden.  Generation  after  generation  dy- 
ing in  protest,  but  with  their  cause  unheard.  What- 
ever other  nations  may  do,  America  will  certainly 
feel  that  her  future  is  forever  identified  with  the 
efficiency  of  a  genuine  democracy.  She  has  made 
her  stake  and  will  not  turn  back. 

There  are  problems  for  solution  under  a  democ- 
racy that  are  serious  and  worthy  of  careful  study. 
For  instance,  excessive  individualism.  Individualism 
is  a  good  thing,  and  certainly  our  country  has  af- 
forded ample  reward  for  the  individual  initiative. 
But  we  are  a  great  brotherhood  and  individualistic 
tendencies  must  accept  the  modification  required 
by  the  collective  welfare. 

The  dislike  of  control  is  another  problem.  Since 
democracy  is  so  largely  a  matter  of  self-govern- 
ment, each  unit  in  a  democracy  must  become  in- 
creasingly genuine  in  placing  upon  himself  certain 
codes  of  social  and  general  honor  to  which  he  holds 
himself  strictly  responsible.  Law  or  no  law,  he  will 


86  Torches  Aloft 

do  right.  Threat  or  no  threat,  he  has  respect  for 
probity.  America  has  afforded  a  gracious  vent  to 
the  pent-up  protest  of  the  people  once  under  monar- 
chical governments.  Some  of  the  immigrants  who 
have  come  to  our  shores  have  become  drunken  with 
their  liberty.  They  may  have  thought  that  the  best 
way  of  expressing  their  appreciation.  They  have 
passed  under  the  influence  of  a  real  intoxication 
which  at  times  may  have  thrown  them  off  their 
guard  and  made  them  the  fertile  soil  for  extrava- 
gant programs  and  radical  policies.  All  restraint 
thrown  away  can  appear  desirable  only  when  the 
mental  processes  are  superficial. 

We  have  also  to  contend  against  a  disposition  to 
surrender  to  personal  indulgence.  This  may  be  of 
various  kinds,  but  whenever  it  involves  injury  to 
society  and  threatens  the  welfare  of  others,  then 
our  indulgence  is  at  the  cost  of  our  country.  We 
have  such  a  real  aliveness  to  individual  rights  that 
sometimes  resistance  to  the  programs  for  the  gen- 
eral good  is  the  result.  We  have  citizens  who  are 
short  on  community  duties.  What  they  do  for  the 
public  welfare  is  done  under  protest.  And  yet,  if 
we  are  to  have  a  democracy  at  all,  every  citizen  must 
be  enthusiastic,  at  least  measurably  so,  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties  to  the  public. 

Unbalanced  development  becomes  an  impediment 
to  a  democracy.  We  must  go  ahead  on  parallel 
lines  and  preserve  the  parity  of  our  forces.  Tre- 
mendous materialistic  achievement  must  be  bal- 
anced by  gracious  religious  efficiency. 


Democracy  and  Government  87 

Another  challenge  which  comes  to  the  democracy 
is  that  of  the  steady  eradication  of  the  harmful.  Un- 
der a  monarchy  the  king's  command  might  at  a 
word  do  away  with  a  great  evil.  In  a  democracy 
the  evil  cannot  go  until  the  majority  say  it  can  go. 
Hence,  the  problem  of  setting  majorities  right.  The 
appeal  ever  must  be  for  an  interest  in  the  units  of 
our  sovereignty.  Not  one  of  them  may  be  neglected 
if  we  are  to  gradually  adjust  the  conscience  and  in- 
telligence of  the  people  to  the  task  of  putting  away 
those  things  that  hurt  and  destroy.  Everything 
harmful  must  go,  and  it  must  go  by  the  sovereign 
will  of  the  people. 

A  democracy  must  further  confront  the  serious 
task  of  so  keeping  watch  over  the  controlling  for- 
ces that  there  shall  be  an  unhampered  selection  of 
its  official  representatives.  Selfish  interests  will  al- 
ways stand  by,  ready  to  manipulate,  and  boss,  and 
program  for  the  exploitation  of  the  people.  It,  there- 
fore, follows  that  we  must  accept  the  duty  of  sup- 
pressing the  demagogues,  the  man  of  predatory 
programs  and  selfish  schemes. 

The  unscrupulous  lobby,  wherever  it  shall  dare  to 
appear,  must  be  restrained.  Steadiness  in  policy  and 
administrative  program  become  imperative.  One 
weakness  of  good  people  is  a  tendency  to  reaction. 
A  great  moral  issue  has  been  settled  and  settled 
right,  but  under  the  demand  for  ceaseless  watchful- 
ness and  constant  alertness,  good  people  often  grow 
weary  of  maintaining  the  advance  ground  which  has 
been  taken  in  some  splendid  reform,  "Steady"  is  the 


88  Torches  Aloft 

watchword  needed  by  good  people  everywhere. 
Then,  old-fashioned  honesty  will  serve  us  well.  The 
preservation  of  our  departments  of  government  from 
all  corrupting  influences,  the  maintenance  of  our 
courts  in  the  atmosphere  of  an  unquestioned  im- 
partiality is  also  imperative.  Authority  when  be- 
stowed must  not  become  autocratic  or  vindicative. 
It  must  be  tempered  by  humaneness  and  good  will. 

We  shall  have  to  stand  fast  in  the  common  bonds 
of  co-operative  interest.  The  success  of  one  be- 
comes contagious.  His  success  makes  obligation 
for  a  new  interest  and  a  sharing  for  the  general 
good.  All  classes  and  all  professions  must  come 
forward  to  unite  as  against  evil  and  in  promoting 
the  good.  Occasionally  the  democracy  must  meet 
the  exigency  of  misplaced  power,  hence  the  recall  is 
becoming  popular.  The  demand  for  a  constitution 
that  shall  be  revised  at  suitable  frequency  and  in 
which  the  methods  and  provisions  for  revision  shall 
be  reasonable  and  not  too  difficult,  is  insistent. 
There  is  coming  too,  the  wholesome  demand  that 
the  legislation  shall  be  progressive  as  well  as  the 
constitution.  All  our  institutions  must  expand  and 
adapt  themselves  to  the  exigencies  of  a  progressive 
civilization.  There  must  be  sane  periodical  read- 
justment in  every  institution  and  agency  that  serves 
in  democracy.  This  requirement  is  wholesome  and 
safeguards  from  explosion  and  radical  action. 

What  shall  we  say  of  the  scope  and  limit  of  a  de- 
mocracy? What  can  it  do  and  what  can  it  not  do? 
Will  it  disappoint,  after  all,  its  ardent  friends  and 


Democracy  and  Government  89 

votaries?  Observe,  first,  that  under  any  form  of 
government  discontent  will  not  entirely  disappear. 
There  will  always  survive  a  sufficient  capacity  for 
blundering  under  the  most  ideal  government  as  to 
at  times  irritate  and  make  uncomfortable.  Democ- 
racy, while  built  upon  the  principle  of  equality, 
never  can  secure  uniformity.  Some  men  will  see 
opportunity  and  grasp  it  where  others  have  not  dis- 
covered it  at  all.  But  on  the  whole  a  democracy 
holds  us  to  the  policy  of  development  in  a  scientific 
and  orderly  way.  Heredity  is  not  necessarily  deter- 
mining and  no  sort  of  aristocracy  is  encouraged. 
There  is  just  one  type  of  man  who  is  worth  while, 
and  that  is  every  man,  the  great  commoner,  the  av- 
erage man.  He  may  not  possess  uniformly  the  ex- 
cellencies and  high  qualities  which  a  few  possess, 
and  there  will  still  be  a  place  for  the  brilliant  and 
the  masterful.  Superficial  distinctions,  however,  are 
not  to  dominate ;  the  lowly  are  to  be  encouraged ; 
from  the  most  modest  home  there  will  be  a  constant 
invitation  to  front  line  achievement  and  gracious 
reward.  The  democracy  cannot  be  infallible.  No 
human  institution  or  agency  is  or  can  be.  Mistakes 
will  be  made.  Costly  experiments  are  sure  to  be  the 
price  of  progress ;  but  experience,  though  costly, 
will  be  worth  all  it  costs.  Experiments  unavoidable 
will  show  the  true  way. 

There  are  foes  to  a  democracy.  One  of  them  is 
the  demagogue  who  makes  use  of  a  genuine  appeal 
with  an  ungenuine  motive,  for  self-interest,  and 
with  a  view  to  his  own  aggrandizement.  Wealth, 


90  Torches  Aloft 

if  it  shall  refuse  to  accept  the  obligation  of  dedica- 
tion to  the  whole  welfare  is  to  be  so  classed.  No 
sooner  does  wealth  exist  than  the  question  of  who 
shall  use  it,  how  many  shall  use  it,  and  how  it  shall 
be  used,  arises.  Wealth  must  accept  an  honest  and 
proportionate  distribution  of  responsibility  in  the 
support  of  our  institutions.  Very  naturally  the 
spirit  of  a  democracy  is  antagonistic  to  the  accumu- 
lation of  the  colossal  individual  fortune.  Every- 
body is  to  know,  everybody  is  to  be  happy,  every- 
body is  to  thrive,  everybody  is  to  have  a  compe- 
tence, everybody  is  to  be  free  from  want,  the  dread 
of  poverty,  and  dependence  in  old  age.  The  irreli- 
gious rich  become  a  menace,  as  also  the  irreligious 
poor.  So  also  the  political  machine  which  is  organ- 
ized for  the  purpose  of  spoils,  which  stands  ready 
to  carry  orders  no  matter  how  much  of  social  injus- 
tice it  may  involve.  The  machine  ready  for  use  by 
unscrupulous  men  and  for  programs  that  infringe 
upon  the  welfare  of  the  public — such  a  machine  is 
the  deadly  foe  of  democracy.  So  the  boss,  who  con- 
trols the  machine,  for  he  is  the  great  deformity  in 
the  political  life  of  a  nation.  He  is  a  deformity 
which  will  more  and  more  offend  and  more  and  more 
invite  contempt. 

There  are  conditions  which  guarantee  the 
efficiency  and  permanency  of  a  democratic  form  of 
government.  The  primary  requisite  is  genuine  and 
sane  Christianity,  with  all  that  the  terms  involve. 
Religion  is  the  supreme  force  in  the  uplift  of  the 
people,  in  their  economic  advancement,  and  their 


Democracy  and  Government  91 

general  emancipation  from  unfavorable  conditions. 
The  American  people  are  forever  committed  by 
their  theory  of  government  to  the  maintenance  of  a 
high  state  of  religious  attention  and  efficiency.  Ed- 
ucation must  continue  to  do  its  constructive  and 
splendid  work.  The  policies  of  the  state  are  not  yet 
as  generous  as  they  should  be  in  the  maintenance  of 
suitable  equipment  for  general  education.  In  some 
communities  there  is  great  hesitation  in  levying  an 
adequate  amount  of  taxation  to  support  an  aggres- 
sive educational  policy. 

We  shall  have  to  be  alive  to  the  creation  of  so- 
cial ideals  of  the  very  highest  class.  These  do  not 
come  of  themselves,  they  come  at  the  end  of 
costly  processes  and  earnest  toil.  The  social  ideals 
must  be  enlightened  so  that  they  know  where  to 
connect  in  the  problem  of  uplift.  They  must  be  util- 
ized, for  otherwise  they  are  mockeries  of  wisdom. 
We  shall  have  no  aristocracy  of  any  kind.  We  shall 
be  careful  to  encourage  adult  mentality.  After  our 
people  leave  the  school  there  comes  the  test  of  bread 
winning,  the  devotion  to  economics.  This  is  un- 
avoidable, but  we  must  be  very  sensitive  to  the  need 
in  any  community,  of  keeping  from  mental  inertia, 
that  portion  of  the  people  who  have  passed  out  of 
the  schools.  The  chautauquas,  the  reading  clubs, 
the  study  classes,  the  public  libraries,  the  books 
and  papers,  must  all  be  used  so  that  grown  folks 
shall  continue  to  grow.  When  this  is  so,  there  is 
always  a  mental  strength  ready  to  cope  with  the 
problems  as  they  arise. 


92  Torches  Aloft 

There  comes,  too,  the  distinct  demand  for  main- 
taining high-grade  physical  life.  Whenever  a  people 
decay  physically,  decay  in  other  respects  falls  rap- 
idly. We  shall  have  to  be  careful  to  study  genuinely 
and  constructively  the  conditions  of  thrift  for  the 
family  life  of  the  nation.  The  state,  the  church, 
and  all  the  institutions  of  our  civilization  will  need 
to  promote  the  spirit  of  enterprise  in  municipalities 
and  in  individuals.  Comfort  and  plenty  for  all  is 
not  a  vague  and  exorbitant  demand.  The  financing 
of  family  life,  an  interest  in  the  man  who  stands 
back  of  the  family  budget,  an  attitude  on  the  part 
of  legislation,  corporations,  and  financial  institu- 
tions to  encourage  a  rise  in  the  average  income  and 
average  possession  for  the  average  home  will  be 
the  highest  wisdom.  We  shall  have  to  provide  lib- 
eral pay  for  public  service.  The  spectacle  of  a  great 
nation  paying  to  the  members  of  the  President's 
cabinet  the  beggarly  sum  of  $12,000  or  $15,000  a 
year  is  not  conducive  to  national  self-respect.  The 
low  salaries  paid  our  ambassadors  abroad  must  be 
an  occasion  of  weakness  in  the  service,  and  the  cor- 
rection of  the  evil  cannot  come  too  soon.  Let  us 
exact  of  men  in  public  life  high-grade  service,  and 
then  make  the  financial  recognition  of  that  service 
so  generous  a  sum  as  to  insure  efficiency.  We  cer- 
tainly have  no  better  use  for  money.  Let  us  have 
no  loose  cargo  in  our  ship  of  state.  Whatever  can- 
not be  attached  to  the  great  constructive  forces  and 
processes  that  are  to  build  up  the  life  of  a  nation 
must  be  thrown  overboard.  We  can  count  on  vice 


Democracy  and  Government  93 

and  ignorance  uniting  and  holding  forth  for  their 
continuance  and  supremacy.  That  unity  and  rule 
must  be  overcome  by  our  alertness  and  by  right- 
eous co-operation. 

The  privilege  of  suffrage  now  being  gradually  ex- 
tended to  the  women  of  the  country  will  safe-guard 
additionally  the  efficiency  of  our  institutions.  Be- 
yond any  question  the  privilege  of  voting  should 
not  be  denied  to  the  intelligent  women  of  America. 
No  good  argument  can  be  brought  forth  to  sup- 
port the  contention  that  the  privilege  should  not  be 
allowed.  Let  us  also  make  the  duty  of  voting  far 
more  obligatory  than  now.  If  men  do  not  vote  dur- 
ing repeated  calls  to  exercise  their  responsibility  at 
the  polls,  they  ought  to  be  disfranchised.  A  citizen 
who  does  not  have  enough  concern  in  the  policies  of 
his  government  and  the  conduct  of  public  affairs  in 
his  community  to  take  time  to  go  to  the  polls  and 
vote,  needs  to  be  dealt  with  in  a  very  definite  way. 
This  brings  us  to  the  task  of  citizenship  improve- 
ment. We  shall  have  to  work  unceasingly  for  the 
highest  type  of  citizen.  All  the  agencies  that  mold 
public  sentiment  will  need  to  band  together  for  a 
new  efficiency  and  a  new  attack  upon  the  problem. 
The  democracy  will  grow  into  efficiency  and  it  will 
stay  indefinitely  if  we  exalt  the  school,  the  church, 
and  the  home. 


XL 


THE  PRESENT  SOCIAL  URGENCY 

Social  welfare  problems  confront  us  at  every  turn 
in  these  eventful  days.  The  bent  of  the  American 
mind  is  to  scrutinize  vigorously  and  unsparingly 
the  present  economic  conditions.  There  are  certain 
basic  laws  which  have  to  be  dealt  with  when  we  take 
up  the  question  of  making  more  nearly  general  the 
distribution  of  wealth  and  property.  The  position 
that  the  distribution  of  property  and  all  other  forms 
of  economic  value  should  be  to  all,  carries  with  it  an 
appeal  of  great  force.  In  the  study  of  these  questions 
let  us  observe  that  whenever  any  fact  or  institution 
exists  in  a  civilization  for  any  respectable  period  of 
time,  it  invariably  calls  out  a  defense  of  conditions 
as  they  are.  The  present  status  in  any  phase  of  our 
social  progress  has  a  fatal  fascination.  It  is  always 
easier  to  be  satisfied  with  things  as  they  are  than  to 
search  intelligently  for  the  possible  improvements, 
and  devise  a  way  for  securing  them. 

In  the  matter  of  political  organization,  no  sooner 
is  a  political  party  brought  into  existence,  its  plat- 
forms and  policies  announced,  its  appeal  for  support 
issued,  than  the  tendency  to  conserve  the  life  of  the 
organization  for  itself  becomes  manifest.  A  certain 
measure  of  interest  and  concern  for  a  political  or- 
ganization as  such  is  of  course  justified  and  neces- 


The  Present  Social  Urgency  95 

sary,  but  the  invariable  danger  comes  from  tend- 
ency to  forget  that  the  political  party  or  organiza- 
tion has  no  real  justification  save  as  it  holds  itself 
responsible  as  a  means  to  those  ends  which  shall 
most  unmistakably  promote,  with  the  utmost  rapid- 
ity, the  public  welfare.  The  dominance  of  a  political 
organization  carries  with  it  certain  emoluments  or 
rewards,  which,  unfortunately,  are  often  dealt  out 
without  regard  to  the  public  welfare  and  efficiency 
at  all.  Whenever  this  law  of  service,  which  requires 
alertness  in  keeping  the  proper  estimate  upon  the 
place  and  purpose  of  the  organization  itself,  and 
keeping  the  mind  constantly  on  the  stretch  for  the 
next  thing  which  may  be  secured  as  an  advantage  to 
all  the  people,  is  not  kept  in  mind,  then  society  has 
the  right  of  visiting  judgment  on  the  institution  or 
organization  involved.  God  has  written  the  law 
everywhere  that  he  is  the  greatest  who  serves  most 
and  serves  best.  But  behold,  here  come  the  great 
brainy  men  and  the  coterie  of  men  to  make  the 
appeal  for  loyalty  to  the  party  as  such.  The  party  at 
all  cost  first,  last,  and  all  the  time  must  be  main- 
tained. Its  supremacy  must  be  the  slogan.  This 
would  be  safe  and  sound  as  a  policy  if  it  were  not  for 
the  deadly  poison  of  selfishness,  inertia,  and  non- 
progressiveness  which  creeps  in. 

Parties  and  men  have  a  small  margin  of  authority 
for  placing  the  emphasis  on  a  consent  to  things  as 
they  are.  Suppose  that  principle  would  obtain  gen- 
erally? How  soon  the  moss  would  grow  on  the 
mind  of  the  world.  Even  the  Church  itself,  because 


96  Torches  Aloft 

its  work  is  committed  to  human  beings,  is  often 
handicapped  by  this  worship  of  things  as  they  have 
been  and  customs  as  they  now  are.  How  easy  for 
an  abnormal  sanctity  to  gather  about  traditions  and 
methods  and  policies  which  have  no  real  authority 
because  they  are  not  of  the  essence  of  religion.  The 
difficulty  of  inducing  church  organizations  to  make 
rapid  and  sane  adjustment  to  new  needs  and  condi- 
tions is  well  known. 

Whenever  any  kind  of  inequality  exists  for  a  con- 
siderable length  of  time,  a  multitude  of  advocates 
will  come  forward  to  tell  us  that  the  inequality  must 
always  exist.  This  causes  the  hopelessness  which 
you  sometimes  discover  in  your  fellowmen.  You 
discuss  the  thing  as  it  ought  to  be  and  they  list- 
lessly say,  "Oh,  yes,  yes,  that  is  the  way  it  ought  to 
be,  but  it  is  now  too  late,  it  never  can  be  done."  This 
surrender  to  conditions  as  they  are  is  so  fatal  and 
yet  so  general  as  to  make  it  worth  while  for  every 
tongue  to  flame  and  every  pen  to  shine  with  the 
message  of  warning  and  for  the  overcoming  truth. 

Take  the  inequalities  that  exist  to-day  in  a  finan- 
cial way  and  there  are  plenty  of  people  ready  to 
apologize  for  these  inequalities  and  say  they  have 
always  been  so  and  they  always  will  be  so.  But  this 
is  not  the  final  word.  A  new  social  conscience  has 
arrived.  A  new  economic  standard  is  in  the  air. 
For  instance,  America  is  in  protest  against  poverty. 
She  puts  no  premium  upon  shiftlessness  or  lack  of 
industry,  but  she  also  recognizes  the  fact  that  much 
of  the  poverty  in  America  to-day  would  be  removed 


The  Present  Social  Urgency  97 

if  we  had  social  and  industrial  justice.  Let  us  make 
sure  that  we  do  not  register  with  the  army  of  de- 
fenders of  those  things  in  our  civilization  which  we 
know  ought  to  be  changed.  What  ought  to  be 
done  can  be  done  in  the  reform  of  human  society. 
Let  us  recognize  potency  where  it  exists,  for  power 
is  in  the  direction  of  the  constructive  programs. 
Many  things  that  have  been  pronounced  impossi- 
ble have  been  done  by  men  and  women  of  royal 
courage  and  of  holy  persistence. 

In  surrendering  to  this  tendency  to  exalt  an  or- 
ganization for  its  own  sake  and  to  be  satisfied  with 
its  conservation  when  it  has  ceased  to  serve  human 
need,  and  to  consent  to  numberless  inequalities  that 
could  be  removed  if  society  had  the  will  to  remove 
them,  any  organization  can  reach  an  untimely  end. 
The  final  result  is  the  challenge  of  every  good  and 
progressive  movement  and  principle.  Conservatism, 
when  it  crystallizes,  becomes  retroactive  and  is 
forced  by  its  very  nature  into  conflict  with  progres- 
sivism. 

Democracy  itself  in  these  days  is  seriously  chal- 
lenged. All  this  arises  from  the  fact  that  the  task 
and  obligation  which  follow  the  principle  of  democ- 
racy are  so  humanitarian,  disinterested,  and  colos- 
sal that  conservatism  shrinks  therefrom  and  finds 
it  the  easiest  thing  to  challenge  democracy  in  total. 
That,  you  see,  gives  release  from  the  call  to  con- 
secrate to  the  glorious  work  of  uplifting  and  bless- 
ing all  men.  It  immediately  causes  one  to  resign 
to  the  derelicts  of  the  social  order,  and  say  sadly, 


98  Torches  Aloft 

as  they  float  down  the  stream  of  life,  "It's  too  bad, 
but  it  can't  be  helped."  Oh,  the  deadly  paralysis 
that  follows  this  narcotic !  We  can  but  wonder 
whether  we  are  all  as  aroused  as  we  should  be  just 
now  to  the  duty  of  persisting  in  certain  social  and 
economic  discontents,  just  because  conditions  can 
be  changed  if  we  will  change  them.  If  America  can 
make  such  a  record,  she  will  set  forward  the  prog- 
ress of  the  race  by  a  thousand  years  within  the  next 
twenty-five.  Intead  of  challenging  our  democracy, 
let  us  challenge  our  inertia.  Instead  of  speaking  in 
doubt  as  to  the  possibility  of  great  reforms,  let  us 
give  ourselves  to  the  battle.  No  generation  has 
ever  confronted  such  an  opportunity.  Let  neither 
our  faith  nor  courage  fail.  Let  us  be  as  resourceful 
and  as  alert  as  the  cause  is  noble. 

In  the  recent  past  in  the  United  States,  wealth 
and  political  control  have  been  too  nearly  identical. 
This  is  to  say,  it  has  been  found  quite  easy  for 
our  political  policies  to  take  orders  from  big  finance. 
Civilization  through  long  centuries  has  allowed 
wealth  to  have  abnormal  control  in  human  affairs. 
It  has  been  difficult  to  get  money  to  hear  the  appeal 
of  humanity.  In  the  financial  realm,  the  poison  of 
unsocialized  ideals  has  survived  unduly.  The  writer 
has  no  disposition  to  decry  against  thrift,  against 
business  achievement,  or  against  wealth  per  se.  He 
believes,  however,  that  the  Government,  with  all 
that  the  term  involves,  should  be  emancipated  from 
control  by  predatory  and  unsocialized  wealth.  It 
must  be  freed  from  the  suspicion  that  it  is  forever 


The  Present  Social  Urgency  99 

taking  orders  from  the  largest  check-book.  Our 
people  need  the  general  assurance  that  our  Govern- 
ment is  moving  rapidly  to  the  viewpoint  of  the  so- 
cial welfare.  We  can  even  stand  a  little  "hurry  up" 
call  in  that  direction.  Social  efficiency,  genuine 
character,  intelligence  and  industry,  devotion  to 
duty — these  are  to  have  full  access  to  the  govern- 
mental sanctuary.  Palsied  be  the  hand  that  throws 
any  cordon  about  the  thrones  of  government  that 
would  stay  the  approach  of  the  common  people.  If 
we  really  consent  that  wealth  and  governmental 
policies  shall  be  synonymous,  this  of  itself  means 
death  to  democracy.  So  we  might  just  as  well  ac- 
cept the  challenge,  for  the  battle  is  on.  Wealth  and 
property  have  their  rights,  and  law  and  tradition 
and  government  have  had  a  tendency  to  warp  in 
their  direction.  But  the  day  of  humanity  is  here. 
The  reign  of  the  common  people  is  at  hand.  This 
will  mean  a  happier  world.  Everybody  will  be  hap- 
pier, even  those  who  have  imagined  that  they  could 
not  be  happy  save  as  they  had  abnormal  individual 
possession. 

History  shows  that  any  class  securing  control  of 
legislation  forthwith  is  inclined  to  forget  every- 
thing but  self-interest.  This  is  short-sighted  and 
destructive.  Just  because  a  given  class  or  party  is 
in  control  it  should  charge  itself  all  the  more  with 
the  duty  of  remembering  the  rights  and  interests  of 
those  who  are  not  represented  in  that  control.  We 
sometimes  say  of  men  and  of  political  parties,  "They 
have  been  taken  out  of  the  saddle."  How  does  it  all 


100  Torches  Aloft 

come  about?  Simply  because  in  their  exercise  of 
authority  they  forgot  everything  else  but  their  own 
rights  and  their  own  interests.  Humanity  is  great 
enough  and  has  sufficient  consciousness  of  its  own 
inherent  nobility  to  make  it  rise  up  in  earnest  pro- 
test against  this  unrighteous  policy.  The  real  prin- 
ciple of  government  is  that  those  in  authority  are  in 
authority  to  serve  all. 

The  periodical  reverses  that  come  to  govern- 
mental parties  are  brought  on  by  this  neglect  of  con- 
sideration for  the  rights  of  those  who  are  not  in  au- 
thority. Commercialized  politics  must  always  be 
the  bane  of  civilization,  while  humanized  and  Chris- 
tianized politics  will  always  promote  the  uplift  of 
civilization.  Any  political  administration  which 
takes  exclusive  orders  from  wealth  is  bound  to  be 
unjust.  Economic  inequality  means  political  inequal- 
ity. Theoretically,  we  try  to  assure  ourselves  that 
this  is  not  true,  but  here  is  the  evil  of  consenting  to 
economic  conditions  which  ultimate  in  the  presence 
in  every  community  of  vast  numbers  of  families  that 
must  live  in  squalor  and  poverty.  Christianity  and 
the  American  Republic  both  bear  witness  to  the  doc- 
trine of  the  inherent  equality  of  all  men  essentially 
and  as  to  their  political  rights ;  but  whenever  we 
allow  such  economic  conditions  to  obtain  as  that  the 
numbers  of  the  poor  are  increased  while  the  num- 
bers of  people  who  are  in  comfortable  circumstan- 
ces are  diminished,  we  violate  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciple to  which  we  have  sworn  fidelity.  Let  nobody 
dismiss  in  these  days  the  appeal  which  is  coming 


The  Present  Social  Urgency  101 

for  a  more  general  and  equitable  distribution  of 
wealth  io  if  it  originated  in  some  wild  or  disor- 
dered brain.  It  is  a  sane,  a  Christian  demand. 

Capital  has  well  nigh  taken  over  the  machinery 
of  government.  Some  of  our  money  kings  have 
been  willing  to  debase  the  morals  of  our  men  in 
public  life.  We  must  see  the  end  of  this.  If  men 
cannot  go  into  public  life  without  being  exposed  to 
a  constant  appeal  to  violate  their  vows  of  fidelity 
to  the  public  welfare,  through  the  overtures  of  big 
business,  then  we  have  indeed  come  to  a  sad  day. 
The  time  has  come  when  America  must  say  to  big 
business :  "Keep  your  hands  off  our  men  in  public 
life  except  in  so  far  as  you  have  a  recognized  right 
for  approach  to  them.  Cease  to  imagine  that  you 
are  to  control  them,  that  they  are  obliged  to  you, 
and  to  you  only.  Remember  that  the  whole  people 
are  more  to  be  considered  than  any  few  of  the 
people." 

Our  cities  have  turned  over  to  financial  corpora- 
tions almost  every  function  except  granting  char- 
ters and  levying  taxes  for  public  expenditure.  Many 
of  our  cities  are  almost  in  bankruptcy ;  street  im- 
provements cannot  be  carried  forward,  school 
houses  cannot  be  erected,  lights  for  the  streets  can- 
not be  purchased,  parks  and  playgrounds  for  chil- 
dren are  not  to  be  thought  of,  while  at  the  same 
time,  a  few  men  with  large  capital  are  amassing 
tremendous  fortunes  under  privileges  and  char- 
ters which  have  been  granted  by  these  self- 
same cities,  and  in  most  cases  granted  gratuitously. 


102  Torches  Aloft 

In  many  of  our  cities,  as  in  some  of  our  States,  pub- 
lic service  corporations  have  literally  dominated  and 
ruled.  Until  very  recently  this  dominance  has  been 
allowed  as  a  matter  of  course,  nobody  having  cour- 
age enough  to  even  challenge  the  situation.  The 
constructive  will,  however,  and  the  American  con- 
science are  coming  to  assertion  and  power.  It  is  a 
matter  of  public  knowledge  that  when  the  great  coal 
strike  in  Pennsylvania  was  on  a  few  years  ago,  and 
when  the  railroads  who  owned  the  coal  mines  had 
brought  about  conditions  which  could  not  longer  be 
suffered,  an  appeal  for  settlement  of  the  contention 
was  finally  taken  to  Mr.  Roosevelt,  who  was  then 
President.  He  hesitated,  as  any  man  in  his  position 
would  naturally  do,  but  finally  reached  the  con- 
clusion that  at  any  cost  it  was  his  duty  to  undertake 
for  the  people.  He  bravely  said :  "Yes,  I  will  do  it. 
I  suppose  that  ends  me;  but  it  is  right  and  I  will 
do  it."  It  is  easy  to  discover  here  what  Mr.  Bever- 
idge  has  called  our  "invisible  government."  Mr. 
Roosevelt  knew  what  the  exigencies  of  the  case  re- 
quired. He  knew  the  people  were  suffering  intol- 
erably and  unjustly.  He  knew  that  the  greed  of 
men  who  composed  great  corporations  and  con- 
trolled vast  sums  of  money  were  apparently  heart- 
less and  certainly  inclined  to  harden  their  hearts 
against  all  the  appeals  of  humanitarianism.  He  un- 
derstood, too,  that  this  tremendous  financial  power 
was  not  so  scrupulous  but  it  would  destroy  him 
if  it  found  it  possible  to  do  so.  He  was  great 
enough  to  say,  "It  is  right  and  I  will  do  it."  Amer- 


The  Present  Social  Urgency  103 

ica  will  need  to  have  many  more  men  of  his  stamp 
in  public  life  before  our  social  urgency  has  ceased. 

Take  another  phase  of  the  situation.  Every  now 
and  again  in  our  State  legislatures  and  in  the  Na- 
tional Congress,  legislation  is  proposed  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  wage  earners  and  for  better  sanitary 
conditions  while  they  toil.  No  sooner  is  any  such 
legislation  proposed  than  there  appears  immediately 
a  most  determined  lobby  against  it.  That  lobby 
comes  well  supplied  with  money  and  makes  a  fierce 
onslaught  on  the  timely  effort  to  improve  social  con- 
ditions. If  the  legislation  is  finally  passed  under  the 
overwhelming  pressure  of  public  sentiment,  then  we 
have  had  the  sad  spectacle  of  a  fiendish  effort  to 
bring  the  laws  into  disrepute  and  to  break  them 
down  entirely.  This  course  cannot  longer  be  en- 
dured in  free  America.  It  is  foreign  to  the  spirit  of 
our  institutions  and  is  at  war  with  our  most  sacred 
ideals.  We  have  reason  to  hope  that  this  sort  of 
thing  has  about  run  its  course.  Everybody,  however, 
ought  to  be  aware  of  this  menace  and  stand  like 
granite  for  the  obliteration  of  such  sad  exhibitions 
of  human  mendacity. 

A  civilization  like  ours  cannot  conduct  its  affairs 
without  entailing  a  large  burden  for  public  enter- 
prises and  improvement.  Capital  has  exhibited  a 
brutal  tendency  to  evade  its  share  of  the  public  bur- 
den. It  cannot  be  denied  that  on  the  lists  for 
taxation  it  is  guilty  of  wrongs  that  smell  to  heaven. 
If  you  will  investigate  the  tax  lists  you  will  find 
this  statement  confirmed.  The  financially  strong 


104  Torches  Aloft 

in  America  have  never  borne  their  share  of  taxa- 
tion. Tax  returns  show  a  discrimination  in  favor 
of  the  wealthy  as  against  the  middle  class  that  is 
most  offensive.  A  certain  writer  took  the  pains  to 
investigate  touching  some  New  York  estates.  He 
found  that  in  a  little  group  of  rich  families  oath  had 
been  taken  to  about  $4,000,000  of  personal  property. 
Death  came  in  these  same  homes  and  the  valuation 
then  disclosed  of  this  same  personal  property  was 
more  than  $215,000,000.  Invariably  our  farms  and 
homes  are  assessed  at  sixty  per  cent,  of  their  value. 
The  railways  are  assessed  at  from  thirteen  to  thirty- 
five  per  cent,  of  their  stocks  and  bonds.  The  in- 
terests that  evade  taxation  are  those  that  have  had 
the  advantage  of  rich  grants  of  land,  of  almost  in- 
valuable franchises  and  gifts  from  the  public. 

The  courts  are  supposed  to  stand  as  the  final  bul- 
wark for  the  social  welfare ;  but  here  again  the  fi- 
nancial organizations  have  sought  control.  What  a 
serious  effort  at  despoliation  this  is.  What  a  sti- 
letto thrust  at  the  very  heart  of  our  democracy. 
What  an  audacious  effort  to  snuff  out  American 
ideals.  Theoretically,  all  are  equal  before  the  law. 
The  theory  is  more  radiant  than  the  practice.  It  is 
well  known  that  the  poor  cannot  appeal  from  an  un- 
just decision  while  the  rich  do  so  indefinitely.  Even 
in  the  police  court  the  poor  suffer  beyond  all  esti- 
mate. Politicians  are  usually  elevated  to  the  bench 
and  become  our  judges.  We  know  too  well  that 
their  official  position  often  fails  to  correct  in  any 
way  their  deformed  lives  and  social  ideals.  We 


The  Present  Social  Urgency  105 

wish  the  integrity  of  the  judiciary  were  beyond  all 
question.  It  is  an  indisputable  fact  that  training  in 
and  for  the  law  naturally  exalts  precedents.  The 
lawyer's  sympathies  are  quite  likely  to  be  toward 
the  educated  and  wealthy  classes.  Trial  by  jury  is 
the  American  protest  against  judical  bias.  The  cor- 
porations always  fight  shy  of  a  trial  by  jury.  They 
reckon  their  chances  are  better  to  carry  the  day 
with  the  judge  than  with  twelve  American  citizens. 
The  only  remedy  for  a  decadent  American  life  is 
an  aroused  public  opinion.  It  must  be  aroused  to 
a  sane  and  vigorous  policy.  It  must  be  aroused  to  a 
sense  of  the  sacredness  of  our  American  inheri- 
tances and  free  institutions.  It  is  a  giant's  task  to 
arouse  and  direct  public  opinion  into  effective  forms 
of  expression.  It  is  sadly  true  that  only  glaring 
evils  make  an  impression.  The  public  is  easily  for- 
getful and  quiescent  and  the  flagrant  injustice  is 
soon  forgotten.  All  evil  causes  understand  the  tact- 
ful value  of  delay ;  they  reckon  that  the  people  will 
forget.  Unscrupulous  business  interests  seek  to 
control  the  agencies  and  forces  that  mold  public 
opinion.  Newspapers  and  magazines  are  bought  off 
or  smothered  or  suppressed  or  thrown  into  bank- 
ruptcy by  predatory  wealth.  When  Chicago  voted 
municipal  ownership  of  her  public  utilities  the  As- 
sociated Press,  that  supposedly  free  and  powerful 
friend  of  the  people,  withheld  the  information  indef- 
initely. Evidently,  even  this  news  organization  had 
taken  orders  from  the  largest  checks.  Who  can  es- 


106  Torches  Aloft 

timate  the  crime  of  deliberately  misleading  the 
greatest  jury  on  earth,  the  American  people? 

Shall  America  become  the  heavy  hand  on  the 
world-wide  movement  for  democracy?  We  think 
not.  Proffered  and  solicited  to  take  the  wrong  way, 
let  us  persistently  choose  the  right.  Intimidated 
and  threatened,  let  us  persistently  resist  the  wrong. 
All  about  us  may  be  heard  the  deadly  thud  of 
wrecked  character.  Too  many  yield  to  the  deadly 
downward  pull.  For  one  reason  or  another  ninety 
per  cent,  of  our  business  men  go  down.  We  have  al- 
lowed our  competitive  commercial  life  to  exalt  self- 
ishness and  undertake  to  enthrone  it  as  a  moral  prin- 
ciple. We  hear  men  say,  "Business  is  business"  as  if 
it  were  clearly  beyond  the  purview  of  moral  prin- 
ciple and  the  laws  of  righteousness.  No  age  has  ever 
witnessed  such  a  tax  upon  self-control  and  integ- 
rity. The  American  passion  for  self-control,  and 
desire  for  righteousness  in  society  as  in  the  indi- 
vidual is  a  process  of  slow  growth.  It  involves 
painful  work  in  moral  education.  May  the  work 
not  be  abandoned.  It  shall  not  be. 

The  lack  of  moral  integrity  is  a  raging  cancer  in 
our  social  and  business  life.  Official  corruption  is, 
after  all,  the  reflection  of  corruption  in  business  life 
which  is  more  or  less  respectable.  Public  opinion 
must  be  felt  at  this  point.  Gambling,  which  exists 
in  Chicago  and  New  York  to  the  extent  of  a  nation's 
disgrace,  is  a  relic  of  barbarism.  The  principle  of 
no  dollar  without  its  equivalent  in  honest  toil  or 
other  standard  value  must  be  established.  The 


The  Present  Social  Urgency  107 

proceedings  of  the  New  York  and  Chicago  stock 
exchanges  are  a  disgrace  to  Christendom.  We  have 
seducing  leadership  in  the  direction  of  vicious  lux- 
ury and  lavish  expenditure.  A  lack  of  conscience  in 
competitive  life  means  social  destruction.  Our 
adulterated  foods  and  misrepresented  goods  total  in 
value  each  year  $3,000,000,000.  The  liquor  traffic 
has  been  justly  designated  as  belligerent  capitalism 
damning  the  race  for  dividends.  The  rapacity  of 
the  passion  for  gain  does  not  hesitate  to  deliberately 
enlist  for  the  promotion  of  wars.  We  are  in  the 
presence  of  the  glamour  of  brilliant  and  for  the  time 
successful  sinning.  We  are  allowing  our  competi- 
tive commercialism  to  stab  character  and  give  the 
lie  to  human  brotherhood.  Let  every  American 
who  considers  America  worth  while,  and  who  is  in 
love  with  mankind  take  a  stand  for  a  genuine  de- 
mocracy, for  a  dominant  Christianity,  and  the  reign 
of  social  justice  throughout  all  our  borders. 


XII. 

SOCIALISM  AND  CAPITALISM 

The  instinct  for  collective  welfare  is  normal  and 
pervasive.  In  the  creations  below  man  it  is  note- 
worthy and  traceable  to  instinct  alone.  With  man 
the  desire  for  universal  welfare  has  been  a  growth 
promoted  by  a  growing  conscience.  If  a  wounded 
bird  or  a  disabled  fish  may  enlist  its  kind  to  try  to 
overcome  its  disability,  how  much  more  may  we  ex- 
pect that  man  will  have  interest  in  bringing  restora- 
tion and  comfort  to  those  most  needing  it. 

With  all  the  great  refinements  we  find  at  work  in 
the  heart  of  man,  it  must  be  observed  that  the 
growth  of  conscience  has  been  slow.  There  are  im- 
pediments that  account  for  this.  Man's  nature  is  com- 
posite. He  is  both  good  and  bad  in  his  makeup.  The 
kindly  instincts  and  tendencies  struggle  for  mastery 
and  control.  Those  of  the  opposite  character  do  the 
same.  The  confusion  which  results  from  this  con- 
tention of  dispositions  impairs  the  social  efficiency 
of  mankind.  If  we  could  establish  in  human  nature 
a  united  disposition  for  social  progress,  we  should 
do  wonders  in  human  upbuilding.  It  is  fair,  there- 
fore, in  the  study  of  socialism  and  capitalism  to 
make  note  of  the  fact  that  the  effort  for  enthrone- 
ment of  interest  in  the  general  progress  of  all  the 
people  is  normal  and  sane. 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  109 

Socialism  is  a  protest  against  those  inequalities 
which  have  developed  and  are  developing  in  our 
civilization  to  the  point  where  they  are  injurious 
and  offensive.  It  insists  that  every  resource  and 
product  of  society  should  be  distributed  absolutely 
for  the  good  of  all.  It  makes  this  a  dominant  de- 
mand, and  by  so  doing  contravenes  all  right  of 
amassing  large  individual  fortunes.  There  is  a 
moral  principle  in  this  proposal  which  has  merit  and 
is  worthy  of  consideration.  It  seems  to  be  a  sound 
principle  that  all  should  unite  in  sharing  the  wel- 
fare of  all.  If  we  could  cause  this  attitude  to 
be  paramount  in  society,  it  certainly  would  elim- 
inate much  of  the  suffering  of  the  world  to-day. 
Is  it  not  worth  while  to  hold  up  such  an 
ideal?  It  is  more  than  the  dream  of  a  visionary. 
Civilization  has  had  sufficient  time  to  try  out  all 
schools  of  thought  and  reach  a  conclusion  as  to 
whether  or  not  this  attitude  of  brotherhood  and  uni- 
versal interest  would  really  be  constructive.  We 
are  impressed  that  the  time  has  come  when  good- 
ness, and  kindness,  and  brotherliness,  and  honesty 
are  to  be  expected,  not  only  because  they  are  the 
message  of  the  Christian  preacher,  but  because 
they  offer  the  only  way  to  economic  prosperity  and 
human  advancement. 

Socialism  contends  that  if  this  co-operative  prin- 
ciple was  embodied  in  modern  industry  and  com- 
mercial life,  every  member  of  society  would  be  able 
to  have  in  return  for  his  toil  more  than  he  contrib- 
utes to  the  general  welfare.  In  other  words,  that 


110  Torches  Aloft 

this  principle  of  co-operation  would  be  so  potent  in 
building  up  the  resources  of  human  comfort  as  to 
place  at  the  disposal  of  all  men  the  largest  possible 
bounty  of  nature.  The  result  would  be  a  composite 
of  each  individual  contribution.  In  reaching  such 
a  result  all  persons  co-operating  would  be  expected 
to  bring  the  quality  of  genuineness  to  the  processes, 
nobody  evading  the  just  claims  of  industry,  intelli- 
gence, and  high  character.  If  any  member  of  society 
should  do  so,  he  would  thereby  forfeit  his  claim  and 
interest  in  sharing.  It  is  contended  that  if  this  were 
generally  understood  it  would  prevent  all  sane  men 
from  forfeiting  by  their  lack  of  character,  intelli- 
gence, and  industry,  their  right  to  share  in  the  whole 
production  of  the  social  order.  Here  we  meet  the 
critic's  taunt  that  this  uniform  high  quality  on  the 
part  of  the  members  of  society  is  impossible.  We 
answer  that  in  so  far  as  it  is  impossible  the  fact  must 
be  accepted,  but  we  have  lived  long  enough  to  know 
that  we  readily  conclude  that  many  things  are  im- 
possible which,  when  approached  by  the  right  kind 
of  attention  and  consideration  are  readily  possible. 
This  must  be  especially  true  in  the  improvement  of 
our  social  order.  We  have  not  yet  begun  to  study 
scientifically  the  processes  and  elements  of  social 
advancement.  We  have  been  too  busy  with  things. 
We  have  been  too  much  absorbed  in  our  financial 
conquests.  We  have  yet  to  take  up  seriously  the 
principle  of  studying  man  as  man,  society  as  society, 
and  of  relating  the  machinery  of  government  to  the 
real  problems  of  human  betterment. 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  111 

Our  relations  to  God  are  integral  with  our  rela- 
tions to  man.  The  logic  of  this  statement  forces  us 
to  the  conclusion  that  men  who  omit  attention  to 
religion,  and  therefore  have  no  vital  relation  with 
God,  cannot,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  have  a 
vital,  hopeful  relation  to  man.  It  needs  to  be  reiter- 
ated again  and  again  in  the  hearing  of  every  Ameri- 
can that  irreligion  disqualifies  any  man  for  helpful 
influence  in  society.  We  have  semiskepticism  at  this 
point  which  must  be  eliminated.  We  must  become 
so  genuine  in  our  search  for  the  truth  touching  this 
question  that  we  shall  get  out  of  this  fog  and  delu- 
sion. Vital  relation  to  God  is  the  absolute  requisite 
for  helpfulness  in  society.  On  the  other  hand,  holy 
wisdom  has  made  it  plain  that  faith  in  God  would 
be  immediately  violated  if  man  disowned  or  dis- 
claimed his  responsibility  to  his  fellows.  Let  us 
note,  then,  that  these  qualities  of  relationship  to 
man  to  be  helpful,  are  indissoluble  and  must  exist 
in  conjunction  in  every  human  personality. 

Every  individual  is  a  factor  in  social  progress.  No 
one  can  escape  from  this  inexorable  law.  Whether 
the  individual  shall  be  helpful  as  a  social  factor  or 
whether  he  shall  hold  back  the  progress  of  society 
is  at  once  a  vital  matter.  The  race  is  a  unit.  The 
individual  is  more  than  a  single  factor  in  every  case 
because  of  this  realized  unity.  Social  derelicts  in 
any  of  the  great  races  are  a  menace  to  social  prog- 
ress in  all  of  them.  We  are  absolutely  face  to  face 
in  every  enlightened  country  to-day  with  the  prob- 
lem of  lifting  up  the  whole  race  into  fellowship,  com- 


112  Torches  Aloft 

fort,  and  high  character.  If  we  could  create  this 
sense  of  cosmopolitan  interest  and  cosmopolitan  for- 
tune, we  would  set  forward  the  world  at  a  rapid 
pace.  Love  to  God  and  man  is  the  supreme  and 
eternal  law,  and  every  individual  who  comes  under 
the  dominance  of  this  truth  will  help  the  race  to  its 
highest  consummation.  Love  to  God  and  love  to 
man  becomes  a  bond  of  essential  union.  This  bond 
crosses  the  seas,  overcomes  racial  prejudice,  inaugu- 
rates justice  between  the  races,  and  heightens  the 
appreciation  of  men  for  one  another  everywhere. 

We  hear  much  in  these  days  of  the  noble  character 
of  fidelity  to  vows  and  societies  and  social  groups. 
Fidelity  is  a  noble  virtue,  and  any  individual  illus- 
trating in  a  high  measure  this  fine  quality  deserves 
the  compliments  of  his  fellows.  When  this  is  said, 
something  more  must  be  said,  and  that  something 
more  is  this :  Fidelity  as  a  quality  is  a  delusion  and 
a  snare  unless  it  has  the  high  sanction  of  elevated 
principles,  integrity,  and  truth.  Men  may  pledge 
fidelity  to  one  another  in  the  most  ignoble  sanctions. 
Their  motives  may  be  base  and  destructive.  Hence, 
as  to  whether  this  principle  of  fidelity  is  a  matter  of 
merit  is  determined  wholly  by  the  underlying  mo- 
tives and  the  overlying  sanctions.  No  loyalty  can 
be  worthy  except  it  be  nobly  inspired  and  worthily 
applied.  When  human  life  is  not  pitched  in  this  key 
the  discords  multiply  until  life  is  a  jargon  of  motley 
and  contending  forces. 

Human  lust  and  avarice  are  at  the  throat  of  our 
civilization  to-day.  Manifestations  of  this  deprav- 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  113 

ity  are  distressing.  They  have  to  be  met  in  the 
spirit  which  the  gospel  of  Christ  demands.  The 
destructive  forces  must  be  brought  into  captivity, 
for  they  have  no  right  to  ply  their  deadly  doing  in 
our  social  order.  Collective  living  based  on  divine 
love  and  divine  law  is  the  order  of  an  all-wise  God. 
More  and  more  we  all  shall  have  to  accept  the  con- 
trol suggested  by  what  is  best  for  society.  We  are 
approaching  an  era  of  the  new  social  conscience. 
No  one  of  us  may  live  to  himself.  We  must  accept 
the  principle  of  the  larger  interest  and  larger  claim 
of  the  general  welfare. 

Socialism  is  not  purely  a  question  of  economics. 
It,  on  the  contrary,  has  to  do  necessarily  with  the 
Bible  and  religion.  A  socialism  that  omits  attention 
to  either  of  these  or  both  of  them  is  destined  to  lose 
its  grip  on  human  interest.  The  Bible  is  full  of  so- 
cial teachings  and  social  institutions.  Religion  as 
set  forth  in  the  Bible  is  a  message  of  human  brother- 
hood. Christianity  bears  in  a  unique  way,  and  with 
a  unique  power,  provision  for  enforcing  this  princi- 
ple as  the  law  of  life. 

One  is  not  amiss  in  classifying  as  a  socialist  one 
who  shall  challenge  the  existing  social  order  as  to 
completeness,  quality,  and  net  result.  We  have 
always  in  society  a  large  element  that  contends 
against  any  challenge  of  the  existing  order.  It 
would  be  unfortunate  for  mankind  if  this  were  a 
universal  quality.  In  the  sense  that  we  do  seriously 
challenge  the  existing  social  conditions,  in  so  far  as 
they  can  be  improved  by  better  devotion  and  higher 


114  Torches  Aloft 

ability,  we  all  should  be  socialists.  Others  consider 
one  a  socialist  if  he  works  for  social  improvement. 
In  this  sense,  also,  let  it  be  hoped  that  we  are  all 
ready  for  that  classification,  for  do  we  not  all  desire 
social  advancement? 

Society,  like  the  individual,  cannot  stand  still;  it 
must  progress.  The  kind  of  socialism  that  has  our 
interest  is  not  a  theory  or  state  of  society,  it  is 
rather  an  attitude  toward  all  of  the  processes  of  so- 
ciety ;  it  is  a  movement  in  the  direction  of  social 
justice  and  general  betterment ;  it  is  an  evolution 
based  on  the  high  controls  of  religion  and  the  ad- 
vancing ideals  of  the  true  friends  of  humanity ;  it 
proposes  to  work  governmentally  through  a  gen- 
uine democracy.  America,  therefore,  offers  the  most 
promising  field  for  the  test  of  its  power  and  the 
proving  of  its  value. 

One  of  the  schools  of  socialism  would  have  the 
instruments  of  production  and  distribution  owned 
collectively  rather  than  by  the  individual.  That 
there  is  a  tendency  in  modern  thinking  toward  this 
view  is  undeniable — that  activity  should  be  co-opera- 
tive rather  than  severely  individual ;  all  activity 
to  be  for  the  equitable  good  of  all ;  competition 
to  be  displaced  by  co-operation,  including  a 
method  for  the  equitable  distribution  of  the 
products  of  toil ;  the  individual  and  family  own- 
ership to  be  limited  to  what  can  be  reasonably  con- 
sumed and  utilized  legitimately. 

We  also  have  an  appeal  for  what  is  called  State 
socialism,  that  is,  such  an  expansion  of  the  func- 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  115 

tions  of  the  State  as  will  take  the  place  of  our  in- 
dividualistic responsibility  and  function.  Scientific 
socialism  declares  that  conduct  arises  solely  from 
environment.  It  does  not  recognize  any  such  thing 
as  sin  as  a  human  quality.  It  charges  all  the  evil 
in  the  world  to  bad  surroundings.  This  contention 
cannot,  of  course,  be  grounded  upon  Christian  au- 
thority. We  are  compelled  to  the  position  that  con- 
duct is  only  in  part  the  result  of  one's  environment; 
yet  Christianity  is  at  this  moment  encouraging  a 
larger  interest  in  the  question  of  environment  than 
ever  before.  While  Christianity  cannot  grant  the 
contention  of  scientific  socialism,  it  does  most  em- 
phatically encourage  a  proper  estimate  of  the  influ- 
ences of  environment  in  determining  human  quality. 
It  is  hopeful  as  a  feature  of  our  age  that  this  whole 
subject  is  under  study  and  that  minds  with  keen 
penetration  and  in  an  attitude  of  reaching  an  impar- 
tial verdict  are  employed  in  getting  at  the  truth. 

One  contention  of  socialism  is  that  the  public  util- 
ities should  be  owned  by  the  public.  This  conten- 
tention  is  being  more  largely  accepted  every  day. 
We  know  of  no  return  to  private  ownership  when 
once  State  ownership  has  obtained.  It  is  worthy 
of  note  that  very  recently  the  city  of  San  Francisco, 
California,  voted  four  to  one  for  a  bonded  indebt- 
edness of  several  million  of  dollars  for  the  purpose 
of  extending  their  system  of  municipal  railways. 
This  verdict  at  the  poles  was  based  on  the  experi- 
ence in  a  small  way  with  a  single  line  of  street  rail- 
way operated  by  the  city.  The  results  were  so  sat- 


116  Torches  Aloft 

isfactory  that  with  all  that  a  subsidized  press  could 
do  to  discourage  the  people  voting  the  bonds,  they 
were  voted  with  this  large  majority  in  every  ward 
in  the  city.  We  thoroughly  believe  that  public 
ownership  of  public  utilities  is  in  the  direction  of 
social  advancement.  America  will  not  be  satisfied 
to  longer  continue  so  far  behind  the  civilization  of 
Europe  in  this  respect. 

There  are  some  tendencies  which  organized  so- 
cialism must  guard  against.  For  instance,  the  undue 
emphasis  on  the  external,  and  the  under  emphasis 
on  the  inner  and  the  spiritual.  Also,  against  the 
dwarfing  to  the  danger  point  of  individualism  and 
personal  responsibility.  Our  civilization  will  not 
prosper  unless  it  constantly  holds  out  an  induce- 
ment for  every  citizen  to  advance  into  the  highest 
realms  of  personal  achievement  and  development. 
The  acceptance  of  this  responsibility  cannot  be  de- 
clined without  degeneracy  in  the  quality  of  our 
manhood.  We  shall  never  be  able  to  release  men 
and  women  from  the  largest  possible  obligation  to 
develop  within  themselves  their  highest  potency. 
Society  will  always  claim  the  right  to  acknowledge 
distinct  and  worthy  achievement  by  the  individual. 
It  will  ask  only  that  in  allowing  the  crown  to  go  to 
the  individual  effort,  that  the  effort  shall  be  con- 
trolled by  social  ideals  and  by  social  conscience.  We 
should  certainly  be  able  in  the  twentieth  century 
to  give  the  exact  proportion  and  boundaries  for 
these  qualities  in  individuals. 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  117 

The  modern  social  movement  must  avoid  appeal 
to  passion  and  class  hatred.  We  have  no  place  in 
this  country  for  destructive  methods.  The  mob 
shall  not  rule.  Violence  and  force  are  barred.  While 
it  is  perfectly  natural  and  proper  that  a  certain 
amount  of  class  consciousness  should  exist,  it  must 
be  modified  by  recognition  of  the  supreme  value  of 
the  social  and  brotherhood  consciousness.  That  is 
to  say,  while  any  class  in  our  republic  has  the  right 
to  fellowship,  communication,  union,  and  organiza- 
tion, they  must  not  thereby  isolate  themselves  from 
the  larger  outlook  and  the  fellowship  of  the  whole 
people.  Community  ideals  and  community  methods 
must  have  preference  in  our  thinking.  Socialism 
must  beware,  too,  of  being  so  immediately  radical  as 
to  excite  outlawry.  Radicalism  properly  believes  in 
arousing  public  sentiment  and  overcoming  inertia, 
but  it  dare  not  be  indulged  to  the  point  where  it 
breaks  the  present  order  in  a  rude,  angry,  and  de- 
structive temper  of  mind.  It  must  have  larger  faith 
in  the  processes  of  peace.  We  might  be  so  radical 
and  destructive  against  the  present  order,  as  one 
writer  puts  it,  that  "all  we  would  have  to  pass 
around  in  any  equal  distribution  would  be  common 
poverty  and  want."  Hence,  with  all  our  devotion  to 
social  reform,  we  must  have  reference  to  those 
methods  that  are  approved  by  good  thinking  and 
have  been  found  valuable  in  the  test  of  the  centu- 
ries. Individual  initiative,  interest,  and  industry, 
have  been  exceedingly  important  in  our  civilization. 

A  study  of  the  forces  at  work  in  our  development 


118  Torches  Aloft 

discloses  the  fact  that  socialism  and  anarchy  are  op- 
posing forces.  Socialism  seeks  to  reach  a  discrimi- 
nating and  just  view  of  the  value  of  individual  ini- 
tiative and  of  social  responsibility,  while  anarchy 
denies  every  obligation  to  orderly  methods  for  the 
control  of  these  elements  in  our  civilization.  An- 
archy rejects  authority  of  any  and  every  kind.  It 
goes  on  the  supposition  that  individualism  has  to 
be  absolutely  untrammeled.  Society  has  no  claim 
which  it  is  bound  to  respect.  It  is  the  rule  of  might 
and  ignores  the  rule  of  right.  In  the  solution  of 
our  urgent  problems  it  suggests  force.  Accredited 
socialism  stands  for  education,  legislation,  and  re- 
ligion. 

Socialism  is  an  effort  at  solution,  and  by  so  much 
it  is  worthy  of  the  sympathetic  interest  of  all  in- 
telligent people.  Originally,  certain  schools  of  so- 
cialistic thinking  were  unfriendly  to  religion.  This 
has  been  true  in  certain  sections  of  Europe.  It  is 
also  true  in  certain  sections  of  the  United  States 
to-day.  But  Christian  socialism  insists  that  Chris- 
tianity should  be  directly  applied  to  the  industrial 
and  commercial  activities.  It  would  displace  ruin- 
ous and  unscrupulous  competition  by  co-operation, 
foundationed  on  the  laws  of  moral  control.  All  to 
equally  offer  themselves  in  profitable  employment 
of  some  sort,  and  then  as  nearly  as  may  be,  the  State 
make  it  possible  that  all  shall  share  generously  as 
members  in  the  whole  product.  Christian  socialism 
does  not  stand  for  arbitrary  changes  in  condition 
and  environment  as  determining  and  satisfactory. 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  119 

It  stands  for  education  and  regeneration  of  charac- 
ter, and  believes  that  both  of  them  are  essential  in 
social  progress.  It  would  have  the  State  lead  on 
by  progressive  legislation.  It  confesses  to  a  pur- 
pose to  modify  and  limit  individual  possessions,  and 
favors  the  principle  that  moderate  wealth  well  dis- 
tributed is  the  ideal  for  social  progress.  It  exalts 
the  genuine  creator  of  wealth.  It  believes  that  the 
honest  creator  of  wealth  is  the  only  one  deserving 
consideration,  and  that  the  mere  accumulation  of 
wealth  without  regard  to  the  high  principles  that 
should  govern  in  such  creation  is  an  injury  to  so- 
ciety. 

The  word  "capitalism"  comes  from  the  Latin  word 
"capitalis,"  pertaining  to  the  head,  the  chief,  first,  as 
the  first  letter  in  a  sentence.  Capital  punishment 
for  crime  is  the  most  dire  punishment  that  can  be 
dealt  out  to  a  criminal.  It  is  a  punishment  of  the 
first  importance.  These  glimpses  at  definition  help 
us  in  our  study  of  what  is  involved  in  the  relation  of 
capital  to  social  welfare.  In  the  present  order,  cap- 
italism controls  the  forces  and  means  of  production. 
In  its  operation  its  method  is  by  wage  labor,  and 
that  wage  labor  to  be  bought  where  it  can  be  had 
for  the  least  money.  It  acts  on  the  hypothesis  that 
the  labor  which  can  be  bought  for  the  least  money  is 
the  most  economical.  We  are  inclined  to  challenge 
this  conclusion.  There  was  a  time  in  the  history  of 
the  United  States  when  the  employers  of  labor  de- 
cided that  the  cheapest  labor  would  be  the  African 
slaves,  and  SQ  the  African  slave  was  introduced  into 


120  Torches  Aloft 

the  fields  of  American  husbandry.  But  we  have 
found  out  to  our  great  sorrow  that  the  slave  labor 
was  not  cheap  labor.  The  nation  is  paying  for  it 
yet  in  the  awful  bills  of  a  Civil  War.  Capitalism  has 
felt  inclined  to  go  to  civilizations  less  developed 
than  our  own,  and  there  find  its  laborers,  because 
they  could  be  had  for  less  money.  This  policy  is  a 
mistake.  If  American  capital  would  frankly  ac- 
knowledge its  obligation  to  employ  American  labor, 
even  at  a  price  above  that  for  which  imported  labor 
can  be  secured,  it  would  be  operating  under  a  safer 
and  better  social  principle.  There  is  no  advantage 
on  the  whole  to  our  American  citizens  in  cheap  la- 
bor, no  matter  who  obtains  or  who  renders  it. 

The  disposition  of  capital  to  bring  in  foreigners 
with  lower  standards  of  life  is  of  questionable  pro- 
priety. The  American  Government  has  been  too 
lenient  in  its  attitude  toward  setting  a  standard  for 
immigrants.  We  are  inviting  problems,  the  solu- 
tion of  which  will  cost  us  millions  of  dollars,  be- 
cause of  the  short-sighted  policy  at  our  ports  of  en- 
try. Suppose  we  do  for  the  time  being  give  capital 
the  advantage  of  cheap  labor,  will  we  not  afterwards 
have  to  pay  for  this  false  economy?  We  ought  by 
this  time  to  begin  to  think  of  standardizing  Ameri- 
can citizenship  and  American  civilization  through 
and  through.  The  great  American  ideals  that  have 
been  wrought  out  through  our  years  of  stress  and 
struggle  ought  to  be  allowed  their  legitimate  fruit- 
age and  control.  Our  industry  and  capital  ought  to 
consider  what  it  means  to  fill  our  country  with  a 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  121 

poor  type  of  family  life.  This  is  a  big  question  and 
far  too  comprehensive  to  permit  of  a  full  discussion 
in  this  paragraph.  We  shall  give  it  more  attention 
in  another  chapter  of  this  volume. 

Capital  is  also  that  part  of  our  total  wealth  which 
is  available  for  its  own  increase.  It  is  that  portion 
of  national  and  individual  possession  which  is  avail- 
able for  financing  productive  toil  and  process.  It 
has  control  of  the  means  largely  of  increasing 
wealth.  It  is  either  active  or  fixed,  mobile  or  local. 
The  mobile  capital  of  the  country  is  controlled  prac- 
tically by  Wall  Street,  New  York.  The  Government 
is  studying  as  never  before  the  problem  of  its  con- 
trol, with  a  view  to  compelling  a  larger  response 
to  our  social  ideals  and  needs.  Any  study  of  the 
relation  of  capitalism  to  civilization  would  be  in- 
complete which  did  not  dwell  upon  the  evils  of  over- 
capitalization in  many  of  our  industries  and  corpo- 
rations. This  custom  has  been  allowed  to  go  on 
too  long.  It  is  only  recently  that  the  government  in 
response  to  public  opinion,  has  seriously  taken  hold 
of  the  question.  It  is  now  the  general  consensus  of 
opinion  that  one  of  the  first  duties  of  State  and 
National  government  is  the  reduction  of  corpora- 
tion finances  to  the  principle  of  genuine  capitaliza- 
tion. The  watered  stock  must  go.  Over-capitaliza- 
tion is  abnormal,  vicious  and  inherently  destructive. 
We  have  reached  the  age  of  the  new  challenge  of 
individual  wealth.  One  expression  of  that  challenge 
is  being  applied  to  corporations  in  the  demand  that 


122  Torches  Aloft 

their  finances  shall  be  conducted  on  a  basis  of  actual 
values  and  cost  of  service. 

In  what  we  have  said  thus  far,  we  have  in  part  ar- 
raigned both  socialism  and  capitalism  at  the  bar  of 
public  opinion.  Theoretically,  socialism  and  capi- 
talism are  alternatives.  Practically  they  should  be 
co-operative  factors  in  our  progress.  Sooner  or 
later  we  shall  be  obliged  to  install  this  conclusion 
and  make  it  mandatory.  Socialized  capitalism  and 
capitalized  socialism  are  terms  worthy  of  our 
thought.  The  modern  contention  is  about  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  products  of  our  great  country.  The 
contention  is  here  because  everybody  knows  of  the 
unparalleled  production  of  our  capital.  Never  in  the 
history  of  the  race  has  there  been  such  mammoth 
accumulations  of  wealth  in  the  employment  of  capi- 
tal as  have  transpired  in  the  history  of  the  United 
States.  We  have  released  the  constructive  forces 
of  our  democracy  upon  our  population  and  devel- 
oped a  nation  of  intelligent  people.  They  know  that 
the  resources  of  the  Republic  are  ample  for  the  com- 
fort of  all.  Our  educational  institutions  have  justly 
fostered  the  contention  that  our  resources  exist  for 
the  benefit  of  all.  So  it  will  not  be  a  matter  to  be 
wondered  at  if  we  shall  have  a  modification  within 
the  near  future  of  the  relation  of  capital  to  the  in- 
dividual, and  to  society  as  a  whole. 

With  all  our  tremendous  resources  our  capital  has 
been  so  employed  and  our  people  have  been  so  de- 
nied their  opportunities  that  two  millions  of  our 
population  are  now  without  employment  for  half  of 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  123 

every  year.  This  fact  from  an  economic  standpoint 
is  perilous  and  ominous.  We  cannot  have  two  mil- 
lions of  people  without  employment  for  half  of 
every  year  without  impairing  multiplied  thousands 
of  families  in  their  efficiency.  It  means  encourage- 
ment to  change  of  residence  with  all  of  the  perils 
that  may  be  involved  in  that  experience ;  it  means 
interruption  of  the  educational  processes  of  the  chil- 
dren. It  means  jeopardy  to  religious  stability  and 
church  membership.  It  means  the  encouragement 
to  vagrancy,  and  it  means  a  growing  protest  against 
social  injustice.  As  a  fact,  it  must  be  reckoned  with. 
The  republic  will  be  responsible  if  it  does  not  face 
the  evil  and  correct  it. 

We  have  also  two  millions  of  mothers  and  girls  in 
sweat  shops.  They  toil  without  adequate  recom- 
pense. They  are  void  of  the  great  ambitions  and 
laudable  hopes  of  motherhood  and  girlhood.  They 
represent  human  life  with  all  of  its  divinely  created 
dignity  submerged  in  hopelessness  and  night.  Two 
millions  of  our  children  are  in  toil  who  should  be  in 
school.  The  nation  will  pay  the  penalty  for  this 
condition  of  affairs.  The  day  of  reckoning  must 
come.  In  the  face  of  these  facts  our  industrial  in- 
stitutions and  processes  forge  ahead,  and  the  lion's 
share  of  the  product  of  our  toiling  millions  is 
handed  over  to  the  already  rich.  Please  do  not  ask 
intelligent  Americans  to  be  reconciled  to  such  a  con- 
dition of  affairs.  We  belittle  our  own  people  when 
we  ask  that  they  do  so,  Agitation  against  it  surely 


124  Torches  Aloft 

cannot  be  avoided.  Protest,  and  legislation  as  the 
fruit  of  protest,  must  be  forthcoming. 

It  is  an  undeniable  fact  that  the  poverty  of  the 
poor  is  becoming  more  marked  and  less  endurable. 
One  needs  only  to  travel  with  eyes  open  in  any  of 
our  States  to  find  a  confirmation  of  this  statement. 
On  the  contrary  the  appeal  is  cumulative  for  mater- 
ial wealth  in  all  of  our  families  and  homes.  The 
country  is  every  year  more  prosperous  in  the  aggre- 
gate. Our  toilers  reach  their  noonday  and  rapidly 
decline  in  their  earning  ability.  If  they  do  not  ac- 
cumulate by  middle  life,  their  condition  becomes 
less  hopeful  with  every  passing  year.  Dependence 
in  old  age  becomes  more  regrettable  as  one  ap- 
proaches the  possibility.  We  are  responsible  for 
this  human  economic  and  industrial  inferno.  Christ 
stands  for  the  corporation  of  all  humanity.  His  con- 
trol and  religion  will  compel  our  industrialism  to 
call  a  halt  on  its  selfishness  and  inhumanity. 

The  social  message  of  Christ  is  only  now  being 
discovered  and  applied.  The  ministry  and  the  church 
have  been  slow  to  discover  the  social  applications 
of  the  Christian  religion.  We  are  now  beginning  to 
talk  of  applied  Christianity.  Let  us  never  forget 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  as  represented  in  Christ 
and  proposed  by  him  is  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
and  maintaining  human  welfare,  materially  and 
spiritually  here  on  earth.  Our  marvelous  increase 
in  wealth  should  mean  the  removal  of  all  removable 
handicaps,  and  most  of  them  are  removable.  It  will 
not  do  to  allow  their  existence  and  charge  them  to 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  125 

a  divine  Providence.  We  must  remember  that 
wealth  now  comes  with  an  ever  lessening  expend- 
iture of  human  energy.  The  capitalistic  class  give 
less  and  less  of  personal  service  for  their  accumula- 
tions. Machinery  and  cheap  labor  make  this  pos- 
sible. 

In  recent  years  the  American  mind  has  been  ex- 
ceedingly fruitful  in  useful  inventions.  The  chief 
result  of  the  inventions  should  be  humanitarian.  In 
other  words,  every  great  invention  should  immedi- 
ately register  its  efficiency  in  alleviating  the  un- 
favorable conditions  of  life.  It  is  only  fair  to  say 
that  this  should  be  the  outcome.  Our  great  wealth 
should  flow  out  in  beneficent  ministrations  only.  Its 
use  in  any  other  way  is  criminal.  The  sooner  this 
fact  is  fastened  upon  the  attention  of  all  distributors 
of  wealth,  the  better  for  their  own  happiness  and 
welfare.  The  church  must  bear  testimony  on  this 
point  in  unmistakable  terms.  It  is  time  that  the 
forces  of  uplift  in  our  civilization  were  amply  finan- 
ced and  set  at  liberty  everywhere  for  their  mighty 
ministrations.  It  is  more  than  strange  that  with  all 
our  acumen  we  should  so  inadequately  finance  our 
religious  and  educational  leadership  as  we  are  doing 
to-day.  Our  teachers  are  so  uniformly  underpaid 
that  most  of  them  find  it  necessary  to  turn  aside 
from  the  school  and  enter  employment  more  remu- 
nerative than  teaching.  Through  criminal  careless- 
ness we  allow  college  presidents  and  professors  and 
high-school  teachers,  as  well  as  the  rank  and  file  of 
teachers,  to  be  so  inadequately  rewarded  financially 


126  Torches  Aloft 

that  many  of  them  die  in  poverty  and  dependence  in 
old  age.  This  evil  must  be  corrected.  The  salaries 
of  college  presidents,  and  professors,  and  school 
teachers  all  through  are  shamefully  inadequate.  In 
our  neglect  to  properly  finance  our  religious  leader- 
ship we  have  a  condition  of  affairs  equally  evil  and 
unworthy.  It  is  high  time  we  financed  the  good 
man  and  not  the  evil  man.  It  is  strange  that  in  so 
many  instances  it  is  difficult  to  finance  what  is  good, 
and  easy  to  finance  what  is  vile.  Many  a  commu- 
nity apparently  acts  upon  the  proposition  that  if 
God  will  keep  the  minister  humble  they  will  keep 
him  poor.  Again,  duty  is  clear  that  we  should  so 
release  the  forces  of  wealth  as  to  inaugurate  the 
dominance  of  the  higher  elements  in  our  civiliza- 
tion. Thus,  and  thus  only,  shall  we  conserve  the 
greatest  institutions  of  the  American  republic  and 
bring  about  conditions  that  will  benefit  the  whole 
citizenship  and  guarantee  the  progress  of  mankind. 
God  never  intended  the  oppressive  ownership  of 
wealth  by  the  few.  The  unwarranted  concentration 
of  wealth  not  only  is  an  injustice  to  individuals  and 
the  community,  but  it  diminishes  every  vital  ele- 
ment of  our  civilization.  Into  every  phase  of  life 
the  demoralization  cuts  its  way.  Say  what  you  will, 
our  civilization  has  reached  the  place  where  it  is 
absolutely  essential  that  American  homes  and  peo- 
ple be  generously  and  adequately  financed.  We 
cannot  allow  any  creed  of  mistaken  individualism  to 
blind  us  to  the  importance  of  the  issue.  Six  thou- 
sand multi-millionaires  in  the  United  States  and 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  127 

ten  millions  in  awful  poverty  is  an  incongruity  for 
which  we  are  answerable. 

Capitalism  forever  moves  forward  with  a  view 
to  monopoly.  It  seeks  absolute  and  arbitrary  con- 
trol of  production  and  transportation  with  a  view 
to  assessing  arbitrary  values  and  prices.  As  matters 
go  to-day,  capitalism  comes  near  controlling  our  in- 
stitutions of  higher  education.  Higher  education  is 
becoming  so  costly  as  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of  most 
of  our  people.  It  will  be  a  sad  day  in  the  history  of 
our  democracy  when  the  way  to  the  college  is  made 
impossible  for  the  sons  and  daughters  of  our  poor. 
Indeed,  one  test  of  our  civilization  will  come  in  the 
matter  of  making  popular  and  comparatively  easy 
the  approach  to  the  college  from  any  American 
home. 

In  the  contentions  between  socialism  and  capital- 
ism, there  is  a  way  out  and  we  must  find  it.  Mod- 
ern socialism  will  fail  unless  dominated  by  the  deep- 
est religious  motives  and  sincerity.  This  is  true  be- 
cause united  humanity  is  intended  to  be  construc- 
tive, but  often  becomes  destructive  unless  it  bears 
the  mind  and  spirit  of  Christ.  Christianity  will 
more  and  more  express  itself  in  Christian  socialism. 
This  Christian  socialism  will  modify  and  humanize 
all  of  our  industrial  and  social  processes.  The  prob- 
lems of  our  civilization  are  religious  as  well  as  eco- 
nomic. It  easily  follows  that  we  must  have  a  larger 
attention  to  the  subject  of  personal  religion  on  the 
part  of  our  people.  Our  power  units  must  be  con- 
trolled by  conscience  and  religious  intelligence.  The 


128  Torches  Aloft 

masses  are  easily  moved  to  envy  and  hatred.  We 
must  remember  our  duty  to  remove  occasions  for 
this  attitude  and  feeling. 

The  bulk  of  our  people  are  proud  of  being  desig- 
nated as  the  common  people.  Those  who  lead  them 
must  have  high  character  and  capacity.  Both  of 
these  must  be  embodied  in  our  leadership  of  every 
order  and  kind.  We  shall  have  to  properly  limit  by 
law  the  profits  of  the  corporations  and  trusts  and 
fix  by  law  the  maximum  price  of  commodities.  If 
we  cannot  limit  the  profits  of  the  corporations  and 
trusts,  then  the  Government  will  find  it  necessary  to 
purchase  them  and  operate  them.  As  matters  now 
stand,  the  trusts  have  come  dangerously  near  to 
owning  the  Government  and  doing  its  business. 
They  have  shown  a  vicious  ability  to  control  legis- 
lation. They  are  short-sighted  enough  to  imagine 
that  their  selfishness  can  be  embodied  in  legislation 
without  great  irritation  and  loss  of  social  efficiency. 

The  great  desideratum  is  the  conduct  of  human 
activity  under  the  motives  and  controls  of  genuine 
religion.  Intemperate  devotion  to  large  money- 
making  enterprises  arises  from  three  phases  of  un- 
regenerate  human  nature;  namely,  our  selfishness, 
our  pride  and  vanity,  and  our  unbelief  of  God's 
truth  about  the  accumulation  and  use  of  money. 
The  Bible,  which  is  the  foundation  of  Anglo-Saxon 
civilization,  forecasts  a  radical  change  in  the  social 
order.  This  change  is  now  in  the  dawning.  The 
culmination  of  the  money-mad  and  the  money- 
hoarding  passion  is  at  hand.  Our  increase  in  wealth 


Socialism  and  Capitalism  129 

has  not  been  paralleled  by  a  proportionate  tendency 
and  effort  in  improving  the  condition  and  character 
of  mankind.  We  have  not  seriously,  as  a  religious 
people,  taken  up  the  obligation  to  lay  out  ourselves 
and  our  resources  for  human  improvement.  In  other 
words,  our  wealth  has  been  unsanctified  by  the 
counsel,  motives  and  practical  requirements  which 
Christ  makes  obligatory  upon  all  men.  On  the 
other  hand,  our  increase  in  wealth  has  developed 
what  is  really  a  consuming  lust  for  dehumanizing 
gain,  with  a  perfect  craze  for  pleasure  and  extrava- 
gant indulgence  of  every  sort.  We  have  also  grown 
in  the  direction  of  such  lapses  as  have  registered  in 
divorces,  in  murders,  in  suicides,  robberies,  and  in 
insanity. 

We  must  incarnate  the  Christ-spirit  and  enforce 
throughout  the  Christian  viewpoint.  We  shall  also 
need  to  reach  the  attitude  in  which  we  welcome 
Christian  control.  Human  adjustment  alone  cannot 
protect  us  from  industrial  revolution  eventuating  in 
evil.  Our  moral  and  religious  development  must  be 
kept  in  wholesome  proportion  to  our  industrial  de- 
velopment. In  some  way  we  shall  have  to  compel 
capital  to  cease  following  the  lead  of  abnormal  in- 
terest and  dividends,  thereby  reducing  the  mobile 
capital  all  through  the  country.  The  call  loans  of 
the  New  York  and  Chicago  stock  exchanges  must 
be  forbidden  if  we  are  to  preserve  our  financial  equi- 
librium and  honor.  America  needs  both  intelligent 
and  moral  leadership,  and  more  urgently  moral  lead- 
ership, for  that  is  especially  constructive.  The  God 


130  Torches  Aloft 

of  all  the  worlds  awaits  our  dedication  to  him  and 
to  humanity.  All  of  our  inherited  good  will  slip 
away  from  us  unless  we  win  it  anew  by  our  holiness, 
integrity,  and  honor.  We  must  remember  that  revo- 
lution begins  when  civilization  ceases  to  be  alert 
and  progressive.  The  day  of  man  is  yet  to  come, 
and  may  God  hasten  that  day. 


XIII. 

SIGNIFICANT    DEVELOPMENTS     IN     THE 
COMMERCIAL  WORLD 

An  unprecedented  concentration  of  energy  on  pro- 
duction of  every  sort  is  in  evidence  in  the  present 
age.  When  our  primitive  continent  was  assailed  by 
the  genius  of  Americans,  speedy  inroad  was  made 
on  all  the  natural  resources.  Everything  that  could 
be  turned  into  a  commercial  value  was  immediately 
drawn  upon,  and  that  attitude  has  characterized  our 
civilization  from  the  beginning  until  now.  But  not 
only  have  we  had  in  evidence  an  unprecedented  en- 
ergy for  production,  but  we  have  likewise  developed 
the  instruments  of  distribution.  Products  cannot 
have  value  unless  established  transportation  facil- 
ities are  provided.  Hence,  in  the  United  States  we 
have  developed  more  lines  of  railway  in  proportion 
to  the  area,  than  are  found  in  any  other  country  of  the 
globe.  Our  commercial  life  has  been  vigorous  from 
the  start,  and  to-day  the  American  business  man 
does  not  yield  the  palm  to  any  business  man  on 
earth.  As  a  result  of  our  concentration  on  produc- 
tion and  distribution,  we  have  had  an  unparalleled 
increase  of  wealth.  No  one  but  rejoices  in  the  in- 
crease of  wealth  as  such.  It  becomes  the  occasion  of 
contention  and  distress  only  when  it  is  not  made  re- 
sponsible to  humanitarian  impulse  and  program. 


132  Torches  Aloft 

The  dissatisfaction  of  recent  years  as  to  the  social 
and  industrial  conditions  of  our  people  has  arisen  be- 
cause of  the  grossly  unequal  distribution  of  our 
wealth. 

One  cannot  discuss  this  phase  of  our  development 
without  finding  it  necessary  to  recall  the  fact  that 
many  of  our  citizens  refuse  to  render  in  service  the 
equivalent  of  wealth.  It  is  also  to  be  remarked  that 
we  have  developed  in  our  people  a  great  capacity  for 
spending  money.  Everywhere  the  pace  is  set  for 
high  living.  Rich  and  poor  alike  feel  the  appeal. 
There  are  many  people  who  belong  to  the  laboring 
class  who  do  not  have  the  honor  and  fidelity  in  their 
service  to  their  employer  which  they  ought  in  honor 
to  have.  It  is  a  matter  of  every  day  experience  that 
many  employees  cannot  be  depended  upon  at  all. 
This  is  so  serious  a  condition  as  to  merit  definite 
effort  to  correct  it.  Many  of  our  laboring  people  are 
quite  bent  on  pleasure  and  exalt  that  above  their 
own  thrift  or  their  responsibility  for  good  industrial 
habits  and  integrity.  Men  who  seek  employment  do 
not  always  understand  that  those  who  pay  for  labor 
have  the  right  to  expect  faithful  service.  We  halt 
for  this  paragraph  in  this  discussion  because  it  is  an 
emphasis  certainly  needed.  One  needs  only  to  ob- 
serve the  slovenly  habits  of  the  man  who  delivers 
goods  from  the  store,  or  of  the  man  who  handles 
the  laundry,  or  of  the  tailor  who  takes  an  order  for 
a  suit,  to  find  out  how  many  people  there  are  who 
are  indifferent  to  their  work,  or  to  the  good  name  of 
their  employer.  When  laboring  people  are  exer- 


Significant  Developments  in  Commercial  World  133 

cised  as  they  have  need  to  be  for  a  better  remunera- 
tion, they  need  at  the  same  time  to  remember  that 
by  the  consensus  of  American  opinion  multitudes  of 
them  are  unworthy  of  a  better  wage.  It  should  be 
said  too,  that  the  quality  of  thrift  is  not  general, 
that  many  of  our  laboring  people  are  not  ambitious 
for  thrift.  They  seem  to  be  absolutely  wanting  in  a 
desire  to  accumulate  even  the  simple  good  of  a 
modest  home.  Our  population  needs  everywhere 
the  education  which  must  be  forthcoming  as  to  the 
duty  of  being  devoted  to  a  reasonable  prosperity. 

Ten  per  cent,  of  Americans  are  to-day  in  posses- 
sion of  more  than  ninety  per  cent,  of  the  wealth  of 
the  nation.  There  is  no  justification  for  this 
condition.  It  can  be  regarded  only  as  a  menace  to 
our  social  welfare  and  the  maintenance  of  our  demo- 
cratic institutions.  We  suffer  every  now  and  then 
from  industrial  disturbances  of  one  kind  and  an- 
other. Invariably  the  blunt  of  the  burden  and  loss 
in  these  disturbances  falls  upon  those  who  are  weak- 
est and  least  able  to  suffer.  This  is  an  evil  that  our 
whole  citizenship  should  seek  to  correct.  There  is 
a  demand  for  readjustment.  The  leadership  in  such 
a  demand  must  be  genuinely  unselfish  and  at  the 
same  time  statesmanlike  and  capable.  Remarkable 
religious  movements  are  characteristic  of  this  age, 
and  these  are  affecting  our  commercial  life. 

The  public  discussion  has  more  recently  been  on 
the  relation  of  wealth  to  the  universal  welfare.  Our 
commercial  leaders  make  a  mistake  when  they  lose 
sight  of  everything  else  except  the  gain  which  can 


134  Torches  Aloft 

come  from  business.  Unless  we  modify  that  harsh, 
severe,  and  hardened  view  of  our  commercial  trans- 
actions and  interests,  we  shall  reverse  our  increasing, 
prosperity.  God  has  installed  deeply  in  human  so- 
ciety the  law  of  respect  for  human  needs.  We  must 
accept  the  modifications  of  our  intense  commercial- 
ism by  the  reflection  that  business  is  not  a  god  to  be 
worshiped,  but  an  agency  for  service  to  mankind.  It 
is  a  mistake  to  make  business  a  religion  and  money 
a  god.  It  is  a  mistake  also  to  expend  our  supreme 
effort  on  the  accumulation  of  money.  It  does  require 
constant  attention  to  make  money  in  any  large 
amount,  but  it  never  ought  to  be  with  any  one  the 
supreme  enterprise. 

With  all  that  our  commercial  success  is  doing  for 
us,  and  with  all  the  popular  attention  which  is  being 
bestowed  on  the  conditions  necessary  for  that  suc- 
cess, we  are  yet  being  driven  to  the  consideration  of 
the  moral  principles  that  must  be  respected  in  our 
commercialism.  We  are  finding  to  our  sorrow  that 
no  quantity,  development,  or  distribution  of  our 
natural  resources  can  ever  eliminate  sin  from  the 
race.  This  evil  of  the  human  heart  is  forever  a  dis- 
turbing quantity  in  the  economic  development  of 
mankind.  In  our  secularism  and  worldliness  we 
attempt  to  taboo  this  question  of  individual  propen- 
sity for  sin  by  relating  it  in  the  most  distant  way  to 
the  question  of  every  day  business  success,  and  yet, 
over  and  over  are  we  halted  and  compelled  to  learn 
the  lesson  that  moral  evil  in  the  heart  of  mankind  is 
the  most  appalling  handicap  of  human  progress  in 


Significant  Developments  in  Commercial  World  135 

every  direction.  Therefore  it  is  an  omen  of  good 
that  our  commercial  development  is  having  a  larger 
respect  for  moral  principles  and  control. 

We  shall  have  to  welcome  in  the  business  world 
as  never  before  the  wholesome  purification  and  re- 
straints of  Christianity.  It  should  be  noted  that  as 
matters  now  are  the  vast  increase  of  wealth  in  the 
United  States  goes  largely  to  the  non-producers  of 
the  country.  This  unfairness  cannot  endure. 
The  strike  is  a  coarse  and  brutal,  but  significant  pro- 
test against  this  exploiting  of  industry.  We  must  in 
some  way  eliminate  strikes  and  panics  from  our  civ- 
ilization, for  their  indulgence  will  destroy  our  pres- 
ent economic  order  entirely. 

A  system  which  results  in  the  existence  of  wide- 
spread destitution  and  at  the  same  time  overpro- 
duction, cannot  in  the  long  run  be  vindicated.  When 
suffering  comes  from  real  shortage,  such  as  may  be 
occasioned  by  drought  and  other  forms  of  natural 
visitation,  we  can  accept  the  suffering.  When  it 
comes  from  the  over-accumulation  of  the  very  goods 
which  our  people  are  needing  everywhere,  then  it  is 
time  for  us  to  have  some  new  lessons  in  logic. 
Somewhere  along  the  line  our  economic  processes 
are  not  what  they  ought  to  be.  A  lessening  ability 
to  purchase  on  the  part  of  our  people  is  not  a  lawful 
bedfellow  for  over  production.  We  are,  therefore, 
all  interested  in  the  increased  purchasing  ability  of 
our  people.  We  are  also  interested  in  their  increased 
ability  to  earn  legitimately  and  fairly  a  larger  pro- 
portion of  our  total  wealth.  Apparently,  we  have 


Torches  Aloft 

developed  a  sort  of  punishment  for  production; 
namely,  that  the  fact  itself  is  used  as  an  argument 
for  reducing  unduly  the  hours  of  labor  and  for  re- 
ducing the  number  of  laborers. 

Production  should  have  as  its  uppermost  object- 
ive the  supply  of  human  need.  When  shall  we  un- 
derstand that  the  finest  element  of  any  civilization 
is  its  passion  for  the  universal  welfare?  Production 
for  unreasonable  profit  and  for  prices  that  are  pro- 
hibitive to  the  large  masses  of  people  will  invariably 
benefit  the  few  only.  A  few  wealthy  people  now 
control  the  agencies  for  the  distribution  of  produc- 
tion, while  at  the  same  time  they  control  the  natural 
resources  of  the  country  as  well.  This  control  is 
contrary  to  good  ethics  and  violates  the  law  of  so- 
cial progress.  The  supreme  motive  in  this  unfortu- 
nate situation  seems  to  be  that  of  gain.  Gain  for 
what?  This  is  the  question  we  must  herald  from 
east  to  west,  and  from  north  to  south.  Why  need 
any  of  us  be  so  unreasonably  devoted  to  the  accum- 
ulating of  gain  out  of  all  proportion  to  our  need? 

When  dividends  are  not  large  enough,  then  our 
manufacturing  establishments  are  shut  down  and 
our  laborers  dismissed.  The  capitalist  tells  us  that 
it  must  be  so  until  times  are  better,  and  he  means 
until  times  are  better  from  the  standpoint  of  his 
own  dividends.  Unless  we  make  rapid  adjustment  of 
a  character  that  will  secure  better  conditions  eco- 
nomically in  the  United  States,  we  may  reach  a 
stage  where  it  will  be  necessary  to  abolish  individual 
capital  and  profits  entirely.  Some  democracy  will 


Significant  Developments  in  Commercial  World  137 

try  this  out  before  long.  Labor  receives  less  than 
half  the  wealth  which  it  creates.  The  half  that  goes 
to  capital  goes  to  less  than  one  per  cent,  of  our  peo- 
ple. This  flagrant  abuse  of  our  brotherhood  in  our 
commercialism  will  be  corrected,  or  we  shall  face 
conditions  so  appalling  as  in  themselves  to  be  cor- 
rective. 

Selling  cost  is  often  greater  than  producing  cost. 
Whenever  the  public  is  served  in  any  wise  for  a 
financial  consideration  and  that  service  is  charged 
for  quite  more  than  it  costs  to  render  it  at  a  reason- 
able profit,  a  day  of  reckoning  somewhere  must 
come.  Only  legitimate  profits,  profits  determined 
by  social  interest  and  obligation,  are  morally  lawful. 
With  all  this  facing  us  it  seems  astonishing  that 
there  are  many  of  the  leaders  of  our  commercial  life 
who  seem  to  be  free  to  adopt  the  attitude  of  extract- 
ing all  the  traffic  will  bear  from  the  public.  The  prin- 
ciple of  moderate  and  legitimate  returns  on  capital 
is  a  constructive  principle.  Whenever  we  exploit 
the  people  for  the  sake  of  abnormal  income  to  cap- 
ital, we  destroy  ourselves.  This  process  of  self-de- 
struction is  sometimes  delayed  and  postponed  as  to 
its  full  fruition,  but  the  deadly  end  is  as  sure  to 
come  as  death.  The  day  of  reckoning  for  social  in- 
justice and  economic  oppression  is  as  sure  as  the 
day  of  judgment  in  the  career  of  a  human  soul. 
When  you  add  to  the  cost  of  production  of  the  com- 
modities which  we  all  need,  the  retail  price,  and 
compare  that  with  the  scant  purchasing  power  of 


138  Torches  Aloft 

our  wage  earners,  you  have  a  problem  serious 
enough  to  arouse  the  average  mind. 

It  is  a  matter  of  economic  wisdom  for  the  rich 
people  of  the  United  States  to  take  steps  to  increase 
the  purchasing  power  of  the  American  families.  The 
wage  earner  constitutes  ninety-nine  per  cent,  of  the 
purchasing  public.  If  capital  is  so  shortsighted  as  tc 
oppress  by  unjust  wage  or  otherwise  the  wage 
earner,  the  day  of  retribution  must  come.  The  pur- 
chasing power  of  the  laborer  is  being  constantly  di- 
minished under  the  existing  economic  usages  anc1 
conditions.  It  is  self-evident  that  the  rich  few  cannot 
consume  the  products  of  such  a  nation  as  ours.  The 
occasional  panic  comes  because  of  human  avarice. 
The  poor  would  consume  and  should  consume,  but 
they  have  no  ability  to  purchase.  So  our  over  com- 
mercialized civilization  has  glutted  markets,  mil- 
lions of  unemployed,  and  the  recurring  panic.  All  of 
these  give  evidence  of  our  lack  of  consideration  for 
the  laws  that  govern  social  progress.  We  need  a 
mighty  injunction  against  the  raw  and  unscrupu- 
lous processes  of  certain  of  our  commerical  leaders. 

A  world-wide  crisis  is  near.  We  are  creating  two 
classes,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  and  the  gulf  between 
them  is  constantly  widening.  The  laboring  classes 
are  growing  in  numbers  and,  thank  God!  in  the 
United  States  they  are  growing  in  intelligence.  They 
must  and  will  accept  the  law  of  efficient  service  for 
generous  compensation.  They  must  and  will  aban- 
don those  practices  and  indulgences  that  forbid  their 
thrift.  They  will  accept  the  call  for  high  character, 


Significant  Developments  in  Commercial  World  139 

and  then,  based  on  all  these  requisites  of  their  own 
self-respect,  they  will  advance,  in  the  presence  of  all 
mankind,  their  claim  to  industrial  justice.  Their 
protest  against  the  injustice  of  present  conditions 
is  growing  more  insistent,  and  this  is  bound  to  con- 
tinue. This  is  the  hour  for  voluntary  adjustments 
between  the  contending  forces  of  our  civilization. 
We  ought  to  have  the  wisdom  of  conferences,  con- 
cession, and  change  in  viewpoint,  as  embodying 
the  highest  wisdom  for  us  all.  Our  social  legislation, 
which  is  now  finding  favor  in  all  of  our  legislative 
bodies,  can  do  much  to  amend  and  change  so  as  to 
bring  peace  and  good  will  and  comfort  to  our  peo- 
ple, but  all  of  our  commercial  institutions  should 
move  without  legal  compulsion  for  the  larger  eco- 
nomic blessing  of  our  American  citizenship.  Un- 
less these  adjustments  are  made,  we  shall  have  one 
of  two  things  in  America,  either  absolute  slavery  to 
wealth  and  an  overbearing  aristocracy,  or  a  pure 
socialism  enforced  by  the  uprising  of  the  people. 


XIV. 

THE  COMING  CATHOLICISM 

The  word  "catholic"  is  a  universal  term,  and  only 
the  fact  that  it  has  been,  in  our  thinking,  so  gener- 
ally associated  with  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
has  made  it  pass  current  as  a  narrow  and  sectarian 
term.  World  civilization  is  slowly  evolving  a  new 
Catholicism,  in  the  generic  meaning  of  the  word, 
which  will  not  be  Roman  Catholicism  at  all.  This  is 
obvious,  because  Roman  Catholicism  as  it  exists 
to-day  and  as  it  has  existed  in  the  past  is  not  cath- 
olic. Instead  of  being  universal  it  draws  hard  and 
fast  lines  of  ecclesiastical  excommunication  and  iso- 
lation. 

In  the  evolution  of  the  religious  life  of  the  world, 
we  are  witnessing  just  now  an  effort  to  create  a 
new  religious  system  out  of  all  the  existing  reli- 
gions. This  effort,  to  be  sure,  has  origin  outside  of 
Christianity.  It  is  for  most  part  a  Christ-excluding 
effort.  If  it  were  to  have  its  way  it  would  make 
Christ  one  of  many  saviors  and  rob  him  of  his 
divine  glory.  This  proposed  new  religion  cannot  be 
the  basis  of  the  coming  Catholicism.  Neither  can  it 
be  the  basis  of  a  reunited  Christendom.  The  com- 
ing Catholicism  must  be  heartily  and  genuinely 
evangelical.  While  accepting  the  helpful  and  legit- 
imate conclusions  of  scholarship,  and  approaching 


The  Coming  Catholicism  141 

the  demand  for  readjustment  with  an  open  mind,  it 
will,  nevertheless,  hold  the  established  views  about 
historical  Christianity. 

There  are  certain  fundamentals  of  the  Christian 
religion  that  never  can  be  annulled.  They  will  stand 
out  like  the  Gibraltar  of  the  far  East.  There  are 
those  elements  in  Christianity  which  have  demon- 
strated their  efficiency  through  the  centuries  and  are 
finding  confirmation  in  every  modern  process.  On 
the  way  to  this  coming  Catholicism  we  shall  witness 
the  disintegration  of  many  religious  bodies.  Disin- 
tegration is  not  always  destructive.  It  is  often  the 
road  to  those  new  structures  that  are  necessary  to 
growing  life  and  power.  It  is  stimulating  intellect- 
ually and  in  every  other  way  to  consider  how  the 
laws  of  change  as  applied  to  those  phases  of  reli- 
gion in  which  change  and  adjustment  are  permissi- 
ble, lie  in  the  direction  of  the  highest  efficiency.  Such 
disintegration  and  change  instead  of  weakening  the 
growth  and  flow  of  true  Christianity  are  conducive 
to  its  highest  and  fullest  power.  So  while  some  of 
the  forms  of  Christianity  are  destined  to  change  and 
decay,  the  spirit,  which  is  the  real  continuity,  will 
reincarnate  itself  in  better  forms. 

Some  have  told  us  that  they  see  signs  of  the  pass- 
ing of  the  Protestant  age.  A  Protestant  is  a  wit- 
ness. The  witnesses  of  Christ  are  not  to  pass,  but 
they  are  to  abide  with  accelerated  power  and  in- 
spire the  faith  of  the  world.  That  Protestantism 
which  is  a  witness  of  Christ  is  to  find  its  mission 


142  Torches  Aloft 

more  welcome  and  its  ministry  more  and  more  en- 
couraged. 

The  real  Protestantism  is  to  be  the  coming  ca- 
tholicism.  Our  age  is  characterized  by  a  seeking 
after  strange  cults.  The  word  "cults"  is  as  dignified 
a  term  as  these  movements  will  justify.  Religious 
cults  and  fads  of  every  sort  characterize  certain  of 
the  lapsed  sons  of  modern  Christendom.  They  are 
the  phenomena  peculiar  to  citizens  of  the  countries 
in  which  Christianity  is  the  dominating  religious 
faith. 

The  agnostic  and  skeptic  are  the  abnormal  prod- 
uct of  a  Christian  civilization.  The  doubters  of  re- 
ligion are  not  to  be  found  in  the  so-called  heathen 
countries.  The  heathen  accept  some  sort  of  re- 
ligious belief.  It  may  be  the  merest  superstition 
about  demons  and  their  agents  of  supernaturalism, 
but  they  firmly  believe  in  unseen  forces.  The  lapsed 
sons  of  Christendom  alone  are  capable  of  announc- 
ing themselves  as  being  utterly  of  no  religious  faith. 
The  outburst  of  secularism  in  our  twentieth  cen- 
tury is  a  part  of  the  evolutionary  process  through 
which  we  are  passing  on  our  way  to  that  coming 
Catholicism,  which,  when  once  forged  on  the  anvil 
of  progress,  investigation,  scholarship,  and  spiritual 
discernment,  will  establish  itself  fully  in  the  heart 
of  the  world. 

Many  tell  us  that  they  feel  religious  generally, 
but  have  no  particular  religious  feeling  or  belief. 
This  system  also  is  evanescent  and  in  the  passing. 
We  are  as  sure  to  evolve  out  of  these  digressing 


The  Coming  Catholicism  143 

religious  views  and  fancies  into  the  fuller  interpreta- 
tion of  genuine  Christianity  as  anything  in  human 
experience  can  be  certain.  The  current  breakings-up 
of  every  sort  presage  change,  and  we  are  in  the  proc- 
ess. It  is  a  part  and  parcel  of  this  religious  evo- 
lution that  we  have  widespread  revolt  against  the 
existing  economic  system  and  the  demand  for  a  new 
social  order.  The  coming  Catholicism  will  impress 
this  last  with  all  heartiness  and  offer  it  leadership, 
support,  and  direction.  We  hear  in  some  quarters 
of  the  weakening  of  the  influence  of  the  church,  a 
lessening  grip  on  the  interest  and  attention  of  the 
people.  All  this  is  a  passing  symptom.  We  shall 
find  directly  the  difference  between  ecclesiasticism, 
in  which  the  people  will  always  have  scant  interest 
and  Christianity,  with  its  social  interpretation,  in 
which  all  sane  people  are  bound  to  have  an  enthusi- 
astic interest. 

Some  men  are  declaring  from  the  platform  that 
the  Church  must  be  saved.  They  mean  by  that,  that 
the  Church  is  not  yet  wholly  Christian.  Others 
would  have  us  believe  that  Christianity  needs  to  be 
saved  and  that  the  only  remedy  is  to  obliterate  it 
from  the  thought  and  faith  of  man.  They  tell  us 
freely  of  their  desire  to  repudiate  important  doc- 
trines of  Christianity.  These  iconoclasts  have  no 
structure  to  take  the  place  of  the  one  they  would  de- 
stroy by  their  thoughtless  bonfires.  What  is  to  take 
the  place  of  that  which  they  would  annihilate  is  not 
at  hand,  and  the  best  they  can  say  is  "just  wait." 
This  current  of  unbelief  is  also  in  the  passing,  and 


144  Torches  Aloft 

is  a  part  of  the  religious  evolution  of  the  American 
people. 

The  Church  needs  to  be  saved,  that  is  true.  Its 
salvation,  however,  will  come  by  fidelity  and  modi- 
fication as  well.  Fidelity  in  the  realm  where  that 
virtue  is  decisive,  and  modification  in  the  realm 
where  modification  is  strength.  The  world  has  al- 
ways been  willing  to  compromise  with  the  Church 
if  the  Church  would  give  up  its  fundamental  prin- 
ciples and  its  glorious  Saviour.  This  compromise 
the  Church  can  never  accept.  There  is  less  occa- 
sion for  compromise  of  any  sort  at  the  present  stage 
of  religious  development  in  America  than  in  any  pre- 
vious age,  simply  because  the  light  has  fallen  upon 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ.  From  every  quarter  of 
the  world  we  are  receiving  confirmation,  scientific 
and  otherwise,  of  the  fundamental  positions  and  pos- 
tulates of  Christianity.  This  applies  especially  as  to 
the  creation  of  man,  the  creation  of  the  world,  the 
need  of  divine  indwelling,  and  character  transfor- 
mation by  divine  power. 

Constructive  religious  work  is  just  ahead.  The 
period  of  useless  theological  discussion  and  man- 
imposed  dogma  is  forever  past.  Henceforth  Chris- 
tianity is  to  devote  itself  with  genuine  consecration 
to  building  up  the  race  through  what  is  essential  in 
its  message  and  mission.  The  coming  Catholicism 
must  be  something  more  than  the  consummation  of 
gigantic  ecclesiastical  organization.  That  might  or 
might  not  be  the  occasion  of  strength  in  human  de- 
velopment. The  coalescence  of  organizations  is 


The  Coming  Catholicism  145 

only  possible  when  they  are  moving  in  the  same  di- 
rection and  have  in  common  certain  unifying  prin- 
ciples. When  these  conditions  are  present  the  coa- 
lescence increases  the  momentum.  The  coming  to- 
gether of  segregated  groups  of  Christians,  who  have 
common  spiritual  quality  and  inspiration  will  in- 
crease the  momentum  toward  the  Christian  con- 
quest of  the  world. 

Some  disintegrations  must  come  before  the  con- 
structive work  will  be  wholly  possible,  \\hen  the 
merger  of  religious  bodies  is  discussed,  we  have  a 
certain  residuum  of  protest,  or  indifference,  or  crit- 
icism, with  which  such  a  movement  must  contend. 
It  may  be  that  matters  will  have  to  grow  worse  be- 
fore this  ill-advised  resistance  is  done  away.  We 
are  at  the  hour  when  a  great  constructive  program 
in  the  name  of  our  common  Christianity  is  urgently 
needed  in  America.  If  on  the  way  to  that  larger  po- 
tency some  of  the  segregated  groups  will  need  to 
pass  into  larger  groups  and  shall  legitimately  cease, 
no  one  need  be  in  sorrow.  One  must  be  filled  with 
prejudice,  vain  glory,  and  self-conceit,  to  feel  author- 
ized to  resist  a  larger  unity  in  the  presence  of  the 
major  religious  opinion  of  the  age  in  this  direction. 
God  is  in  man  to  be  known  in  the  experience  of  man. 
The  age  is  hungry  for  this  realization.  The  true 
penitence,  humiliation,  and  fidelity  to  religious  au- 
thority is  most  worthy  of  our  welcome  to-day. 
Strange  that  men  will  accept  palpable  nonsense  in 
lieu  of  these  if  only  it  carries  unctious  flattery  to 
their  pride. 


146  Torches  Aloft 

We  are  asked  in  these  days  by  some  people  to 
render  obeisance  to  a  new  creation  in  religion  to 
be  based  on  history,  science,  and  democracy.  The 
answer  to  this  challenge  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact 
that  Christianity  is  based  on  history  and  it  is  being 
continuously  confirmed  by  science,  and  that  democ- 
racy is  its  child  and  offspring.  History,  as  we  know, 
is  a  mixture  of  facts  and  fables.  Christianity  is  not 
among  the  fables,  but  on  the  contrary  is  the  prime 
outstanding  fact  of  the  whole  historical  period  of 
mankind.  Science  has  to  do  with  the  substance  and 
forces  of  nature.  Christianity  indicates  the  true  re- 
lation to  the  race  of  these  forces  and  has  commis- 
sioned that  men  who  are  to  be  inspired  and  indwelt 
of  God,  are  the  concrete  forces  in  this  domination 
for  humanitarian  purposes.  Christianity  has  afforded 
the  doctrine  of  democracy  and  indicates  that  the  effi- 
ciency of  democracy  depends  upon  the  quality  of  the 
individual  sovereigns.  We  cannot  afford  to  exchange 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  for  the  miserable 
weaknesses  of  the  modern  cults  and  fads. 

The  coming  Catholicism  conveys  a  message  of  re- 
demptive efficiency  in  Jesus  Christ  as  the  only  mes- 
sage capable  of  lifting  up  and  solidifying  the  race 
around  the  great  ideals  by  which  mankind  shall  be 
perfected.  As  to  ideals  and  power  for  fulfilling 
them,  Christianity  alone  is  the  adequate  message. 
Let  us  beware  in  this  age  of  exalted  illumination 
and  scientific  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  the  Bible, 
of  any  disordered  vision  of  the  night.  The  day  is  at 
hand,  let  us  be  children  of  the  day. 


XV. 


SOME  MODERN  FALLACIES 

New  England  was  formerly  the  center  of  ortho- 
dox Christianity.  It  is  not  so  classified  to-day,  sim- 
ply because  the  dominance  of  orthodox  Christianity 
m  that  section  has  passed.  The  change  is  radical 
apparently.  We  hear  now  of  the  collapse  of  the  old 
and  accredited  New  England  theology.  We  wonder 
why  it  has  not  occurred  to  more  people  that  this 
collapse  is  in  reality  an  apostasy  from  the  true  faith. 
There  are  those  who  tell  us  when  we  speak  in  de- 
fense of  orthodox  Christianity  that  we  are  in  bond- 
age to  a  Book.  Some  of  the  ministers  of  New  Eng- 
land, who  are  in  so-called  Christian  pulpits  to-day, 
answer  very  certainly  to  such  men  as  Dr.  Campbell, 
of  London. 

The  common  position  of  this  school  of  modern 
religionists  is  to  the  effect  that  the  human  intellect 
is  not  to  be  subordinated  to  the  Bible.  At  this  point 
the  whole  issue  is  created.  The  human  intellect, 
with  all  of  its  vagaries,  its  mists,  its  liability  to 
warpings,  its  susceptibility  to  the  control  of  preju- 
dice, is,  nevertheless,  to  be  exalted  above  the  Book 
which  has  for  centuries  proven  its  place  in  the  di- 
rection of  human  thinking.  Intellectualism  should 
by  all  means  be  encouraged.  Instead  of  frowning 
upon  it,  the  Bible  is  its  greatest  stimulus.  The  Bi- 


148  Torches  Aloft 

Me  puts  no  premium  upon  intellectual  stupidity. 
It  speaks  out  for  the  highest  mental  development, 
but  it  does  teach  its  own  right  to  supremacy  and  ul- 
timate authority.  It  makes  plain  the  fact  that  when 
the  human  intellect  is  really  freest,  strongest,  and 
divinest,  it  is  most  ready  to  accept  and  rejoice  in 
the  profound  declarations  of  Holy  Writ. 

The  Bible  recognizes  the  fact  that  every  pro- 
nounced intellectual  advancement  increases  individ- 
ual power.  Also  that  in  many  minds  this  engenders 
a  feeling  of  almost  unbounded  superiority.  In  some 
minds,  when  there  is  no  ballast  of  intense  and  ear- 
nest religious  faith,  it  begets  a  feeling  of  complete 
and  radical  independence.  This  is  intellectualism 
without  balance  and  counterpoise.  Untrained  in- 
tellectual radicalism  is  comparatively  easy  as  a  stage 
in  intellectual  evolution.  When  once  it  obtains  it 
recognizes  nothing  that  does  not  harmonize  with  its 
own  chosen  processes  and  positions.  It  becomes 
fond  of  scattering  and  destroying.  It  becomes  the 
implacable  and  even  arrogant  foe  of  historical  cre- 
dence and  tradition.  It  is  the  temper  of  the  icono- 
clast and  every  tradition  and  accepted  fact  are  ap- 
proached by  the  chronic  attitude  of  doubt  inhibiting 
a  fair  hearing.  Surely  something  constructive  is 
needed  to  modify  such  a  tendency  as  this  in  the  hu- 
man mind.  Unless  modification  is  had  one  perishes 
in  the  intellectual  cataclysm.  This  accounts  for 
some  of  the  disasters  to  early  faith  that  are  reported 
by  our  college  students. 


Some  Modern  Fallacies  149 

There  is  in  modern  education  a  tendency  to  install 
man  as  the  measure  of  everything,  and  everything 
must  be  modified  and  accommodated  to  that  prin- 
ciple. The  difficulty  of  such  a  position  is  that  it 
leads  to  loss  of  discrimination  between  what  is  fun- 
damental and  what  is  freakish  and  weak.  It  destroys 
the  capacity  to  discern  between  human  caprice  and 
divinely  ordered  and  inspired  character.  Not  every- 
thing depends  upon  point  of  view.  Some  things  are 
fixed  and  final  and  our  point  of  view  will  not  add  a 
new  color  or  enlarge  a  single  dimension.  When  re- 
straints of  our  intellectual  caprice  and  immoral  ca- 
price are  laid  aside,  respect  and  reverence  depart. 
Then  human  nature  reflects  itself  in  the  right  of 
might  in  the  mistaken  fulminations  of  intellectual 
liberty.  We  do  ask  that  intellectualism  should  take 
cognizance  of  the  development  of  the  inner  life. 
We  do  ask  our  intellectual  devotees  to  pay  respect 
to  the  law  of  moral  control  and  the  demand  for  re- 
ligious genuineness.  It  is  the  truth  that  shall 
make  us  free. 

The  intellect  will  bring  us  into  slavery  unless  it 
apprehends  the  truth.  Every  human  effort  must 
accept  the  law  of  responsibility  to  superior  author- 
ity. Our  resentment  against  this  always  has  origin 
in  stupid  self-complacency.  The  validity  of  truth 
is  not  conditioned  on  our  consent  at  all.  The  real 
intellectuality  rests  upon  trained  interest  and  appre- 
hension of  the  truth  in  its  proportions  and  as  related 
to  fundamentals.  Without  intelligent  effort  and 
genuine  religion  no  one  can  hope  to  formulate  a  con- 


150  Torches  Aloft 

firmatory  and  conventional  morality.  Knowledge 
is  the  guide  to  life. 

There  is  a  determined  effort  in  some  quarters  to 
disparage  the  Bible.  Democracy  is  defined  by  some 
to  be  a  freedom  from  all  authority  except  that  which 
is  self-imposed.  What  a  superficial  and  unscientific 
declaration  this  is.  These  moderns  always  tell  us 
that  Christianity  must  accept  and  submit  to  this 
definition.  We  all  should  recognize  the  fact  that 
self-imposed  authority  is  authority  in  name  only.  It 
is  a  huge  joke.  The  proposal  of  our  schools  govern- 
ing themselves  has  borne  its  legitimate  fruit  in  loss 
of  ability  for  self-government  and  respect  for  con- 
stituted authority. 

Some  people  are  wishing  for  that  type  of  democ- 
racy which  rids  itself  entirely  of  the  Bible  or  of  any 
ultimate  authority.  They  tell  us  that  that  which  re- 
strains human  nature  must  be  gotten  out  of  the 
way.  Learned  professors  are  teaching  the  unquali- 
fied freedom  of  the  human  intellect  and  putting  it 
on  the  pedestal  of  deification.  Not  only  the  free- 
dom of  the  will,  but  freedom  of  the  intellect,  with 
their  own  interpretation  of  what  that  freedom  in- 
volves. This  is  lawlessness,  and  the  nature  of  man 
as  unchanged  by  the  grace  of  God  and  escaping 
from  moral  control  thus  reaches  a  state  of  anarchy. 
Some  tell  us  that  the  doctrine  of  authority 
and  the  Bible  is  now  dismissed  by  learned 
people;  that  those  who  cling  to  it  are  very  igno- 
rant, weak-minded,  and  fanatical.  Science,  progress, 
so-called  freedom  of  the  intellect,  and  scholarship, 


Some  Modern  Fallacies  151 

are  some  of  the  Goliaths  which  have  pompously  ar- 
rayed themselves  against  the  Bible.  How  falla- 
cious, how  lacking  in  intelligent  genuineness,  how 
perverse  in  moral  attitude!  The  higher  criticism 
has  created  the  atmosphere  in  which  this  sort  of 
stuff  thrives. 

The  higher  critics  tell  us  that  the  people  now  are 
different  and  that  the  change  is  intellectual.  Our 
chief  difficulty  is  that  we  really  do  not  take  to 
serious  thought  with  all  of  our  pretenses  to  schol- 
arship and  scientific  investigation.  Our  age  is  super- 
ficial. Everybody  now  is  in  a  hurry  to  go  some- 
where and  when  they  arrive  they  immediately  ask, 
"Where  shall  we  go?"  We  live  in  the  fret  and  fury 
of  constant  superficial  agitation.  We  live  on  the 
surface  of  things.  Our  civilization  is  in  the  white 
heat  of  devotion  to  environment.  Meditation  upon 
the  inward  or  spiritual  is  given  scant  attention.  We 
have  developed  an  aversion  to  most  forms  of  serious 
toil.  We  are  in  the  mad  haste  and  feverish  pursuit 
for  money  and  pleasure.  Instead  of  the  present  re- 
cession from  the  tried  faith  in  the  tried  Book  and  the 
tried  creed  being  occasioned  by  our  intellectual 
profundity,  it  is  rather  a  symptom  of  our  intel- 
lectual senility. 

Yes,  they  tell  us  that  the  old  theology  has  been 
displaced  in  knowledge  and  ethical  conception ;  that 
the  doctrine  of  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
been  ante-dated ;  that  the  demand  for  a  change  of 
heart,  for  repentance  on  account  of  sin,  and  for  a 
new  life  in  Christ  Jesus  is  old-fashioned.  In  answer 


152  Torches  Aloft 

to  all  of  these  we  need  only  remind  ourselves  that 
the  will,  wish,  and  whim  of  people  in  any  age  can 
never  be  a  test  of  any  doctrine.  Human  will,  wish, 
and  whim  are  not  dependable  sources  for  final  ver- 
dict. 

Another  modern  fallacy  is  that  the  Bible  is  aban- 
doned by  the  best  religious  consciousness  of  the 
times.  We  answer  that  this  is  a  sad  commentary  on 
the  current  religious  consciousness.  We  remind 
people  of  this  type  of  thinking  that  it  was  by  the 
unanimous  voice  of  the  current  religious  conscious- 
ness that  our  Lord  was  delivered  to  the  Roman  exe- 
cutioner. That  current  religious  consciousness  was 
unpitying,  hypocritical,  pharasaical,  and  even  tol- 
erant of  murder.  Oh,  what  incongruities  have  been 
thrown  into  the  history  of  mankind  in  the  name  of 
religious  consciousness!  The  treatment  accorded 
to  Christ  and  the  Bible  are  ever  essentially  the 
same.  Truth  is  not  always  popular.  The  unjusti- 
fiable exaltation  of  the  natural  inclinations  of  man 
is  always  popular  with  people  who  are  not  profound 
and  careful  in  their  thinking.  The  religion  of  un- 
regenerate  humanity  is  a  modern  fallacy.  It  chal- 
lenges God  and  defies  judgment  upon  irreligion  and 
the  rejection  of  Christ.  Man  is  now  declared  to  be 
of  such  a  nature  and  with  such  attributes  as  are 
allowed  to  God  only.  In  short,  they  tell  us  that  God 
and  man  are  now  transposable  terms.  They  de- 
clare that  man  is  essentially  love  and  when  we  point 
to  the  cruel  treatment  of  his  fellows  and  the  wrong 
for  which  he  is  responsible  to-day,  they  say,  "Never 


Some  Modern  Fallacies  153 

mind  the  outcry."  They  deal  in  poetical  terms,  of 
hatred,  the  existence  of  courts,  prisons,  police,  ar- 
maments, and  of  the  awful  human  devastations. 
They  charge  all  of  man's  weakness  to  environment. 
They  tell  us  the  age  needs  to  accept  what  is  pleas- 
ing rather  than  accept  what  is  true.  Let  us  be  re- 
minded that  the  nature  of  man  apart  from  the  grace 
of  God,  is  fixed  upon  selfishness,  pleasure,  money, 
and  lustful  indulgences.  We  should  be  able  to  dis- 
criminate between  progressiveness  and  moral  apos- 
tasy. 

In  the  Church  of  Rome  this  fallacious  tendency 
records  itself  in  Modernism.  This  is  a  part  of  the 
whole  age  movement  which  is  on  everywhere.  Rome 
has  always  been  anxious  for  temporal  power.  It 
has  been  fond  of  political  ecclesiasticism.  To  her 
head  a  unique  power  is  accorded.  The  Modernists 
of  Rome  refuse  to  go  outside  the  Church.  The  slo- 
gans are  Democracy,  Science,  Solidarity  of  Man- 
kind, and  the  Supremacy  of  Human  Reason.  They 
start  out  with  the  fullest  assumption  that  the  activi- 
ties that  govern  the  world  to-day  are  essentially  cor- 
rect and  permissible  as  we  find  them.  The  Modern- 
ists, Higher  Critics,  and  New  Theology  devotees 
are  in  the  same  class.  They  all  unite  in  declaring 
that  no  matter  how  well  authenticated  and  tried  the 
truth  may  be,  it  must  go  if  not  palatable  to  the  mod- 
ern mind. 

Some  of  the  so-called  forward  movements  are  not 
forward  movements  at  all.  We  must  be  careful  to 
analyze  them  before  deciding  that  they  are  correct 


154  Torches  Aloft 

or  authorize  their  being  called  advance  movements. 
Let  us  remember  that  enthusiasm  always  needs  a 
good  foundation.  We  shall  never  be  able  to  bring  the 
religious  experience  of  Christianity  to  the  plane  and 
data  of  philosophy  and  science.  Christ  is  God's 
revelation  to  man,  and  his  power  alone  is  adequate 
to  the  saving  of  sinful  man  from  his  sins.  His 
transforming  love  can  make  the  individual  a  desira- 
ble social  unit  in  society. 

The  doubter  amuses  himself  with  the  theory  that 
what  he  should  like  to  have  said  and  done  is  to  be 
the  measure  of  everything  in  the  great  old  Book. 
This  vain,  conceited,  and  faulty  judgment  of  Chris- 
tianity is  what  is  called  scientific  criticism.  What  a 
misnomer!  The  bald  announcement  that  man  as 
he  is,  without  regeneration,  or  the  distinct  experi- 
ence of  salvation  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  is  identical 
with  God  is  pantheism.  Let  us  remember  that  there 
is  such  a  thing  as  having  all  the  heresies  in  one.  If 
any  generation  ever  had  need  of  the  strong  unvar- 
nished message  of  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ  and 
the  new  birth  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  a  sound  basis 
for  standard  human  character,  this  age  needs  that 
message.  Our  repentance  might  humble  our  in- 
tellectualism  and  pride,  but  it  is  a  kind  of  humilia- 
tion that  makes  man  have  life  and  hope.  It  guaran- 
tees the  vision  of  God,  correct  moral  estimates,  and 
the  appreciation  of  such  a  character  as  will  stand 
the  test  of  time  and  eternity.  To  such  a  character 
and  such  an  experience  of  divine  grace  may  God 
bring  us  all. 


XVI. 

THE  EARLY  CHURCH  AND  SOCIAL 
WELFARE 

Very  naturally  when  we  give  thought  to  the  early 
Church,  we  first  of  all  recall  its  worship  of  the  di- 
vine Christ.  The  early  Church  was  worshipful  in 
the  highest  sense  of  the  term.  That  worship  was 
characterized  by  fervent  spirituality  and  by  varied 
manifestations  of  divine  power.  Reverence  and  awe 
prevailed  and  a  generally  deep  impression  was  made 
as  a  result  of  these  occasions  of  worship.  However, 
we  would  make  a  great  mistake  if  we  concluded  that 
worship  was  the  sole  objective  of  that  early  body  of 
believers.  The  Church  of  the  first  century  was  a 
genuinely  democratic  body.  This  was  manifest  in 
its  worship  and  was  also  manifested  in  other  phases 
of  early  church  life.  For  instance,  the  democracy 
of  the  body  was  reflected  in  the  fact  that  religious 
addresses  were  made  by  laymen  in  the  church  and 
so  far  as  we  may  judge  spontaneous  Christian  ad- 
dress was  all  but  universal  with  the  early  disciples. 
In  this  day  speaking  upon  religious  topics  in  public 
has  been  almost  entirely  relegated  to  certain  church 
officials,  including  the  pastor.  The  early  Church 
evidently  felt  compelled  to  develop  the  talent  and 
religious  experience  of  all  its  members. 


156  Torches  Aloft 

The  first  step,  however,  in  the  organization  of 
the  early  Church  was  the  selection  of  a  board  to  ad- 
minister the  relief  funds  to  the  poor.  It  is  clear, 
therefore,  that  the  primitive  concern  of  the  disciples 
of  Christ  was  that  they  should  be  faithful  in  a  social 
ministry  in  behalf  of  the  dependent.  This  devotion 
to  social  welfare  is  worthy  of  special  note  and  justi- 
fies the  growing  interest  of  the  present  day  church 
in  social  reform.  We  have  no  difficulty,  therefore,  in 
concluding  that  the  early  Church  was  genuinely  re- 
ligious as  evidenced  in  its  spiritual  worship.  It  was 
democratic  as  was  proven  by  the  general  participa- 
tion of  its  members  in  religious  utterances,  and  it 
was  social  in  its  interest,  because  it  at  once  under- 
took the  task  of  relieving  distress  and  overcoming 
poverty. 

The  early  Church  was  inflamed  with  a  hearty  hope 
of  a  future  life.  Much  was  made  of  heaven  as  the 
final  state  of  the  blest.  The  resurrection  was  dwelt 
upon  frequently.  Both  the  resurrection  of  Christ 
and  the  anticipated  resurrection  of  believers  in 
Christ  were  continually  in  mention.  But  with  all 
this  hope  of  the  future  the  Church  became  immedi- 
ately interested  for  present  social  improvement. 
Society  then,  as  now,  was  borne  down  by  many  evils 
and  these  were  sources  of  oppression  which  needed 
to  be  restrained,  and  the  early  Church  was  alert  as 
to  its  duty  in  these  premises. 

Giving  in  the  early  Church  was  not  entirely  de- 
voted to  brotherly  relief.  This  to  be  sure  was  not  the 
end  or  fully  developed  program  of  Christian  benevo- 


The  Early  Church  and  Social  Welfare        157 

lence  and  philanthropy,  but  it  indicated  the  prompt 
interest  which  the  Church  had  in  improving  the 
earth  life  conditions.  The  Church  was  not  able  then 
to  work  out  perfectly  the  ideals  of  her  Lord  as  to  the 
correction  of  social  evils.  It  may  never  be  quite  pos- 
sible for  the  Church  to  fully  project  its  program  into 
the  social  order,  but  the  Church  of  to-day  at  least 
has  an  inadequate  realization  of  its  possibility  and 
power  in  this  respect.  Always  the  Church  is  to  be 
credited  as  having  germinal  Christ-life  at  work 
and  that  Christ-life  is  invariably  reflected  in  social 
improvement  of  every  kind.  For  instance,  the  uni- 
fication of  human  interest  and  extension  of  the  feel- 
ing of  friendliness  and  brotherhood,  is  a  great  social 
factor.  Christianity  proposes  by  its  gracious  expe- 
rience in  the  human  heart  to  install  these  feelings 
of  friendship,  good  will,  and  loving  co-operation. 
The  very  character  of  a  Christian  experience  is  such 
that  it  becomes  the  mightiest  power  on  earth  for 
the  unification  of  competitive  humanity. 

Christianity  is  always  conscious  of  a  mission  to 
create  a  new  social  life.  When  men,  women,  and 
children  become  Christians  they  are  immediately 
seized  upon  with  a  desire  for  social  efficiency  and 
uprightness.  The  social  promptings  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  affect  fatherhood,  motherhood,  the  la- 
borer, the  employer,  the  children  in  their  relation  to 
parental  control.  It  makes  a  supreme  contribution 
to  social  welfare.  There  are  no  other  forces  known 
to  mankind  that  compare  for  a  moment  with  the 


158  Torches  Aloft 

power  of  Christianity  to  elevate  a  people.  The  his- 
tory of  the  different  races  of  the  earth  corroborates 
this  statement  again  and  again.  Christianity  stands 
for  complete  life  transformation  so  that  vicious  and 
powerful  forces  yield  to  the  superior  control. 

Most  social  organizations  follow  the  lines  of 
least  resistance,  but  not  so  with  Christianity.  It 
fearlessly  confronts  the  task  of  uplift,  laying  hold 
upon  the  raw  material  of  unregenerate  human  na- 
ture and  installing  the  transforming  powers  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Christianity  undertakes  to  save 
the  lowest,  the  vilest,  the  most  hopeless.  In  mil- 
lions of  instances  its  power  in  such  cases  has  been 
illustrated  in  the  complete  transformation  of  sinful 
men. 

Christianity  is  the  highest  embodiment  of  con- 
structive energy.  No  sooner  is  this  energy  applied 
to  current  social  improvement  than  indifference  and 
often  hostility  are  manifest.  The  kingdom  of  God 
stands  for  conquest  in  spite  of  and  in  the  midst  of 
unfriendly  forces.  The  high-minded  social  life  for 
which  Christianity  stands,  necessarily  crosses  the 
plans  and  schemes  of  selfish  and  irreligious  men.  It 
therefore,  must  always  be  willing  to  carry  into  its 
work  the  spirit  of  martyrdom,  heroism,  and  enthu- 
siastic devotion.  Christians  must  count  upon  car- 
rying forward  the  constructive  programs  of  their 
work  at  any  and  every  cost.  Any  forward  move- 
ment must  of  necessity  work  certain  destructions 
for  the  time  being.  An  evil-minded  man  is  not 


The  Early  Church  and  Social  Welfare        159 

turned  from  his  sin  until  the  grip  of  evil  habit 
is  broken.  The  temporary  destructions  which  are 
wrought  by  the  ongoing  tides  of  religious  life  and 
grace  are  soon  recognized  as  wholesome  destruc- 
tions. Men  who  accept  Christ  and  give  up  their 
evil  ways  soon  find  the  decided  advantages  which 
their  course  insures.  Anything  which  we  are  called 
upon  to  give  up  in  order  to  Christian  discipleship,  is 
good  riddance.  In  prosecuting  the  work  of  Christian 
persuasion  there  comes  the  subtle  temptation  to 
surrender  to  mere  policy  and  to  conditions  that  are 
antagonistic  to  the  supremacy  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion. A  leader  in  the  religious  realm,  as  in  every 
other,  if  he  proposes  advance  is  always  misunder- 
stood. It  follows,  therefore,  that  Christians  should 
feel  themselves  obligated,  as  they  certainly  are,  to 
constant  watchfulness  for  social  improvement.  They 
must  reckon  on  a  measure  of  opposition  which  will 
make  their  work  more  or  less  difficult. 

The  disciple  of  Christ  is  the  fitting  and  God-ap- 
pointed leader  for  the  increasing  social  efficiency  of 
civilization.  The  race  as  a  whole  is  always  in  need 
of  constructive  consciousness,  as  for  instance,  that 
of  our  social  unity,  of  our  social  power,  and  of  the 
social  mission  to  which  all  mankind  are  called.  In- 
stead of  being  the  prophets  of  failure  for  social  re- 
form in  these  days,  let  us  the  rather  believe  in  the 
potency  which  is  lodged  in  any  movement  for  these 
higher  conquests  and  expect  our  fellows  to  respond 
to  the  summons  for  identification  and  devotion. 


160  Torches  Aloft 

There  is  such  a  thing  as  narrow  patriotism  which 
makes  nations  and  races  bigots.  This  narrow  sym- 
pathy and  interest  is  destined  to  feel  the  corrective 
influence  of  the  growing  spirit  of  internationalism 
cutting  across  all  our  boundaries.  Isolation  and 
bigotry  contravene  the  great  fundamental  currents 
of  common  interest  and  cosmopolitan  control. 

We  certainly  are  in  the  age  of  world-wide  enthu- 
siasms and  outlook.  There  is  but  one  source  for 
this  world-wide  aptness  and  capacity,  and  that  is 
Christianity..  Christians  by  their  temper  of  mind, 
their  catholicity  of  spirit,  and  their  devotion  to  hu- 
man welfare,  become  the  transforming  spirit  of  the 
world.  They  represent  and  reflect  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God,  who  moves  ever  upon  the  chaos  of  unsanc- 
tified  human  nature.  Christianity  begets  the  at- 
mosphere of  brotherly  communion  and  also  imparts 
power  for  unselfish  interest  and  service.  It  begets 
the  desire  for  sharing.  It  has  always  carried  a 
mighty  collective  hope,  a  hope  that  implants  com- 
mon anticipation,  that  lifts  up  the  lowly  and  causes 
expectation  to  take  the  place  of  fear.  It  carries  a 
message  of  twofold  salvation,  namely,  salvation  to 
the  individual,  and  salvation  to  society.  It  repre- 
sents the  eternal  life  in  Jesus  Christ  and  the  king- 
dom of  God  for  the  social  order.  These  are  the 
base-lines  of  universal  human  progress.  All  normal 
life  should  be  identified  with  both. 

Christianity  does,  at  times,  speak  in  tones  of  judg- 
ment and  withering  condemnation.     Its  character 


The  Early  Church  and  Social  Welfare         161 

and  heart  are  such  and  its  programs  for  human  wel- 
fare are  such  that  its  authority  for  the  utterance  of 
judgment  is  unquestioned.  What  Christianity 
judges  wrong,  may  well  count  on  withering  rebuke. 
Christ  had  tender,  loving,  comforting  words  for  all 
who  were  entitled  to  that  sort  of  thing,  but  he  had 
the  opposite  for  certain  types  of  humanity  to  whom 
his  comforting  message  would  have  been  altogether 
out  of  place. 

When  Christianity  pronounces  her  woes  she  al- 
ways sings  her  prophecies  and  advertises  her  con- 
solations. The  two  are  invariably  associated.  A 
prophet  once  said,  "Fallen,  fallen  is  Babylon";  but 
the  same  prophet  cried  out,  "Hallelujah,  for  the 
Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth."  The  Babylons  of 
the  world  must  fall ;  they  deserve  to  fall.  The  noble, 
the  penitent,  the  disinterested,  the  humane,  shall 
rise  forever  and  forever.  Christianity  is  planting  in 
the  life  of  the  race  to-day  great  kingdom  expecta- 
tions. These  are  pervading  all  departments  of  hu- 
man interest  and  activity.  What  the  kingdom  of 
God  anticipates  is  to  come  through  a  spiritual  or- 
ganism. That  organism  is  composed  of  believers 
in  Christ,  who,  having  repented  of  their  sin  are  in- 
dwelt of  him.  The  discipleship  of  the  age  must  ac- 
cept the  commission  to  bring  on  the  coming  of  the 
kingdom.  Religious,  political,  and  industrial  life, 
are  all  being  slowly,  but  surely,  purified  and  set  free 
for  larger  service  and  utility.  One  who  looks  out 
upon  the  contending  forces  and  by  faith  anticipates 
the  triumph  of  the  right  needs  to  persist  in  his  work. 


162  Torches  Aloft 

It  is  the  hour  for  faith  and  love  and  service.  Let 
no  one  be  discouraged  as  if  God  had  forsaken  his 
own  world.  He  was  never  so  certainly  or  more  cer- 
tainly at  work  in  human  society  than  he  is  to-day. 
Let  all  the  friends  of  human  progress  take  courage 
and  let  our  consecration  to  the  program  of  Christ 
be  full  and  complete. 


XVII. 

THE  CHURCH  IN  SOCIAL  PROGRESS 

The  Hebrew  prophets  kept  steadily  in  view  the 
social  and  political  integrity  of  the  nation  in  which 
they  had  citizenship.  Their  major  emphasis  was  on 
the  spiritual  message  of  their  religion,  but  they 
acted  clearly  on  the  conviction  that  their  religion 
obligated  them  to  the  deepest  patriotism.  Neither 
in  the  Hebrew  or  the  Christian  age  have  we  justifi- 
cation for  the  citizen's  neglect  of  the  duties  of  his 
citizenship.  Christ  would  establish  the  kingdom  of 
God  on  earth  and  this  was  the  burden  of  his  preach- 
ing. The  early  church  did  its  best  to  establish  so- 
cial life  on  wholesome  moral  foundations.  By  vir- 
tue of  its  lacking  in  influence  as  we  know  influence 
to-day  owing  to  the  comparatively  small  number  of 
the  Christians  and  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  social 
influence  of  the  Church  was  small,  they  did  not  as- 
sume the  leadership  which  befits  the  Church  of  the 
present  age.  The  Church  to-day  is  influential,  has 
ample  wealth  in  the  stewardship  of  its  members, 
has  eminent  men  and  women  in  its  lists  everywhere, 
and  hence  must  not  excuse  itself  from  social  interest 
based  on  the  example  of  first  century  Christianity. 

It  is  in  the  power  of  the  Church  of  to-day  to  put 
down  any  social  evil.  This  is  a  very  grave  respon- 
sibility and  one  which  is  not  appreciated  as  it  should 


164  Torches  Aloft 

be.  In  order  to  be  influential  for  social  progress, 
the  Church  must  have  good  leadership  and  in  that 
leadership  exhibit  sagacity  and  wisdom.  A  vast  deal 
of  this  great  work  for  social  advancement  is  yet  un- 
done. Such  a  program  as  the  twentieth  century 
might  adopt  would  have  been  impossible  in  any 
past  age.  In  the  comparative  sense,  however,  the 
Church  has  always  been  faithful  and  instrumental 
in  promoting  social  efficiency.  In  estimating  the 
fruitfulness  of  the  Church  in  any  age  we  must  deal 
in  just  comparisons.  In  estimating  the  task  which 
the  Church  confronts  in  promoting  any  decided  so- 
cial advance  we  must  respect  the  fact  that  there  are 
customs,  traditions,  and  institutions  that  have  had 
years  of  sway  and  patronage.  These,  many  of  them, 
are  strongly  entrenched  sometimes  behind  the  law 
and  sometimes  behind  public  opinion.  The  elimina- 
tion of  those  institutions  that  have  become  decadent 
and  that  have  outlived  their  day  is  not  an  easy  proc- 
ess. This  is  true  because  inspiration  is  a  requisite 
for  the  willingness  to  give  up  what  is  effete  and  out- 
grown. The  age  needs  vision  and  that  vision  must 
comprehend  our  social  weaknesses  and  have  strong 
aspiration  for  their  passing.  The  process  through 
which  society  must  go  in  some  of  these  eliminations 
will  be  laborious  and  trying.  Nothing  will  hold  us 
steady  through  these  trying  processes  except  a  cer- 
tain high-mindedness  which  is  the  result  of  being 
inspired  with  higher  ideals  and  holier  purposes. 

Every  careful  student  of  this  age  will  admit  that 
the  time  is  ripe  for  the  Church  to  undertake  some 


The  Church  in  Social  Progress  165 

definite  and  radical  programs  for  social  reconstruc- 
tion. This  leadership  must  be  accepted  if  the  Church 
is  to  hold  its  place  in  popular  interest.  We  believe 
the  time  is  at  hand  when  the  Church  may  assume 
direct  responsibility  for  ending  the  complicity  of 
the  American  government  in  the  liquor  traffic.  The 
Church,  through  the  Anti-Saloon  League  and  other 
agencies  sharing  the  common  purpose  of  that 
League,  can  now  deliver  the  final  blow  that  will  end 
the  legalized  saloon's  existence  in  the  United 
States.  This  bit  of  definite  work  the  Church  has 
been  preparing  for  and  the  time  is  ripe  for  the  con- 
clusion of  the  battle.  The  slogan  of  the  revision  of 
the  National  Constitution  by  1920  with  an  amend- 
ment which  will  forever  make  illegal  the  liquor  traf- 
fic in  the  United  States  is  worthy  of  enthusiastic 
adoption  and  support.  It  will  be  greatly  to  the 
credit  of  the  Church  in  future  years  to  have  the  his- 
torian record  that  under  her  leadership  that  monster 
evil  was  brought  to  bey  and  destroyed  essentially  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1920.  To  the  end  that  this 
may  be  true,  every  Christian  leader  and  disciple  of 
any  rank  must  charge  himself  immediately  with  the 
duty  of  co-operating  in  the  task  of  information  so 
that  the  American  citizenship  will  pay  no  attention 
to  the  deceptions  of  the  liquor  organizations  and 
unite  in  removing  this  enemy  of  our  progress. 

The  Church  in  social  progress  works  by  two 
methods,  namely,  that  of  direct  identification  and 
leadership,  and  that  of  indirect  influence  through  in- 
dividuals. We  are  all  delighted  when  some  promi- 


166  Torches  Aloft 

nent  Christian  and  churchman  reaches  a  position  of 
political  responsibility,  and  especially  so  when  he 
exhibits  under  that  responsibility  sanity  and  demo- 
cratic integrity.  Through  the  individual  Christian 
on  his  own  personal  initiative,  Christian  influences 
of  reform  may  be  installed,  but  the  Church,  in  which 
the  individual  disciple  has  membership,  is  an  organi- 
zation. It  represents  individuals  in  associated  respon- 
sibility. Organization  always  has  in  view  such  a 
relation  of  the  individual  to  other  individuals  shar- 
ing like  ideals  as  will  make  possible  the  larger  agen- 
cies of  civilization.  Individuals  working  alone  can- 
not accomplish  what  individuals  united  may  accom- 
plish. By  so  much  as  the  Church  is  an  organized 
institution  is  it  responsible  for  that  higher  influence 
which  we  have  a  right  to  expect  as  a  logical  result 
of  the  fact.  It  will  not  do  for  individual  Christians 
to  depend  wholly  upon  this  indirect  method  of  in- 
fluencing society  and  government.  Concerted  move- 
ment, co-operation  in  effort,  unity  in  making  ideals 
influential,  are  requisite  to  the  moving  of  such  a  civ- 
ilization as  ours  in  the  direction  of  social  improve- 
ment. 

The  social  life  of  the  world  is  to  be  Christianized. 
We  dare  not  set  opposite  the  twentieth  century  any 
program  less  comprehensive  or  aspiring.  To  un- 
dertake such  a  great  task  as  this  will  of  course  chal- 
lenge our  faith  and  it  will  especially  call  for  the 
adoption  of  a  propaganda  of  the  most  intense  and 
genuine  sort.  Too  often  our  church  membership  is 
not  characterized  by  the  high  type  of  consecration 


The  Church  in  Social  Progress  167 

and  self-dedication  of  which  the  cause  is  worthy. 
The  resources  of  the  Church  to-day  are  only  in  part 
available  for  our  Lord's  program  in  society.  It 
must  be  brought  home  to  the  conscience  of  church 
people  everywhere  that  no  discipleship  is  worthy 
of  the  name  in  these  days  unless  that  discipleship  is 
sufficiently  genuine  to  compel  a  full  consecration  to 
Christ  and  his  will  in  society. 

We  occasionally  hear  it  said  that  the  New  Testa- 
ment Church  did  not  have  anything  like  a  social 
propaganda ;  that  it  was  given  exclusively  to  the  tes- 
timony to  Christ  and  the  resurrection  and  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  duty  of  repentance  because  the 
kingdom  of  God  was  at  hand.  However,  it  is  not 
fair  to  say  that  the  apostles  were  recreant  to  the 
duty  of  definite  social  teaching  and  effort.  Here 
again  we  must  remember  the  environment  in 
which  the  apostles  lived.  Those  early  Christians 
were  under  suspicion  as  political  enemies  of  the  civil 
government.  They  were  not  supported  by  centu- 
ries of  historical  development  and  record.  They 
were  cutting  their  way  into  the  arena  of  human  ac- 
tivity and  interest  under  many  handicaps.  If  they 
were  less  enthusiastic  for  social  reform  than  modern 
Christians  believe  themselves  called  upon  to  be,  it 
was  because  that  attitude  was  compulsory.  It  is 
different  to-day.  All  Christian  citizens  in  almost 
every  government  on  earth  are  citizen  kings.  Their 
sovereign  responsibility  is  unique  and  exalted  be- 
cause the  individual  church  member  is  a  citizen  di- 
rectly responsible  in  the  direction  of  the  govern- 


168  Torches  Aloft 

ment  under  which  he  lives  and  because  he  has  a 
voice  in  determining  the  policies  of  his  govern- 
ment. There  can  be  no  question  but  what  the 
Church  is  under  obligation  to  instruct  the  individual 
church  member  in  the  duties  of  his  citizenship.  No- 
body in  these  days  questions  the  right  of  the  Church 
in  her  moral  message  and  her  spiritual  evangel. 
Neither  may  we  longer  challenge  the  obligation  of 
the  Church  through  her  ministry  and  otherwise  to 
establish  the  Christian  conscience  and  viewpoint  in 
the  individual  membership  of  the  Church  with  a 
view  to  consistent  political  action. 

It  should  also  be  noted  as  one  reason  why  the 
early  Church  was  not  more  fully  enlisted  in  behalf 
of  the  social  life  of  the  age,  was  because  of  the 
general  expectation  of  the  speedy  second  coming 
of  our  Lord.  For  some  reason  the  first  cen- 
tury Church  was  more  exercised  with  regard 
to  the  second  coming,  than  probably  the 
Church  of  any  century  since.  This  may  have  grown 
out  of  a  misunderstanding  of  the  teaching  of  Christ 
and  the  nature  of  his  kingdom.  It  may  also  have 
grown  out  of  some  misapprehension  on  the  part  of 
the  apostles  as  to  the  divine  program  in  this  respect. 
At  any  rate,  we  know  the  fact  and  beg  to  use  it  as 
in  part  accounting  for  no  marked  social  leadership 
in  the  apostolic  age.  Under  such  an  expectation  of 
the  early  second  appearing  of  Christ  on  the  earth, 
no  program  that  had  reference  to  processes  through 
years  of  constructive  effort  was  possible.  Nothing 


The  Church  in  Social  Progress  169 

like  laying  siege  to  evil  institutions  would  be  in 
mind  in  such  an  atmosphere. 

Dependence  was  placed  on  the  early  appearing  of 
Christ  as  the  personal  leader  of  his  militant  hosts  on 
earth.  Nineteen  centuries  have  passed  since  then 
and  our  Lord  still  tarries.  We  do  not  know  the  hour 
of  his  coming.  We  do  know  that  the  gospel  which 
he  preached  and  which  he  commissioned  the  Church 
to  make  known  in  all  the  world  has  a  great  message 
for  the  life  that  now  is.  Christ  not  only  asks  that 
his  Church  shall  speak  out  the  message  of  salva- 
tion from  sin  and  its  penalties  in  the  life  to  come, 
but  he  serves  as  an  exponent  of  that  gospel  as  ap- 
plied to  all  the  affairs  of  the  life  that  vestibules, 
eternity.  It  would  not  be  rational  to  expect  the  larg- 
est social  interest  in  Christianity  in  its  historical  be- 
ginnings. It  would  be  normal  to  expect  the  Church 
to  gather  momentum  and  come  to  self-consciousness 
with  the  passing  of  the  years.  It  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at  that  the  social  program  of  Christianity  has 
been  gradually  unfolded  and  applied.  Every  force  and 
institution  related  to  human  progress  has  to  be  tried 
out  before  mankind  comes  to  a  realization  of  its  pos- 
sible efficiency.  With  twenty  centuries  of  Christian 
history  the  Church  is  now  ripe  for  assuming  a 
larger  responsibility  in  the  government,  the  com- 
mercial life,  and  the  educational  institutions  of  man- 
kind. 

Any  omission  of  social  interest  which  character- 
ized the  Church  of  the  first  century  cannot  therefore 
be  used  in  extenuation  of  our  lack  of  interest.  The 


170  Torches  Aloft 

Church  has  a  mighty  imperative  for  enlistment  in 
behalf  of  improving  human  society  everywhere. 
Human  life  even  under  religious  inspiration  and  di- 
rection is  naturally  conservative.  If  one  is  not 
guarded  against  his  own  weaknesses  in  this  regard 
even  his  religion  will  intensify  this  tendency  to  con- 
servatism. One  result  of  personal  piety  is  to  bear 
in  upon  the  human  mind  a  consciousness  of  the  in- 
tegrity and  comparative  unselfishness  of  one's  mo- 
tives. This  is  justified  up  to  a  certain  point,  but  we 
must  always  remember  that  our  religious  assurance 
may  be  easily  abused  at  the  point  where  we  become 
presumptive  as  to  our  ability  to  always  see  and  do 
the  right  thing.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  religious 
self-complacency  when  the  man  abuses  his  reli- 
gious assurance  by  pressing  it  into  service  for  the 
confirmation  of  his  somewhat  superficial  attitudes, 
investigations,  and  viewpoints.  A  religious  man 
may  be  right  in  his  heart  but  very  much  astray  in 
his  ideals.  He  may  know  how  to  pray,  but  be  very 
amateurish  as  to  how  to  vote  and  associate  himself 
with  high-minded  men  in  the  progress  of  civic 
righteousness.  The  Christian  must  be  careful  to 
work  himself  out  of  amateurishness  of  every  sort. 
He  must  become  the  seasoned  veteran  in  every 
worthy  conflict.  He  must  be  so  alert  against  decep- 
tion, duplicity,  and  the  bluffs  of  evil-minded  men, 
as  to  become  a  terriffic  enemy  to  every  evil  cause. 
The  Church  of  the  twentieth  century  needs  to  be 
aroused  and  charged  through  and  through  with  the 
social  passion  and  interest.  If  Saint  Paul  were  on 


The  Church  in  Social  Progress  171 

the  earth  to-day,  we  have  no  question  but  what  he 
would  be  identified  immediately  with  a  sane  move- 
ment for  good  government. 

Certain  institutions  that  have  been  associated 
with  the  forms  of  Christianity  in  the  past  have  lim- 
ited the  Church  in  its  contribution  to  social  recon- 
struction. We  believe,  notwithstanding  our  appre- 
ciation of  the  devotion  of  some  of  the  celibate  priests 
of  Romanism,  that  celibacy  and  monasticism  have 
had  their  influences  in  withdrawing  the  Church  from 
identification  in  the  great  forward  movements  for 
the  elevation  of  society.  It  is  quite  proper  that  the 
Church  should  stand  for  other-worldness,  but  the 
Church  also  is  to  be  characterized  by  its  growing 
interest  in  the  efficiency  of  the  people  in  the  social 
order  here  on  earth.  Christianity  is  interested  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  in  multiplicity  of  inven- 
tions, in  the  promotion  of  business  efficiency,  in  the 
advance  of  science,  and  in  the  thoroughness  and  uni- 
versality of  education.  But  in  the  past,  for  various 
reasons,  the  full  social  expression  of  Christianity 
has  been  suppressed.  Conservatism,  conventional- 
ism, prejudice,  narrowness,  misapprehension  of  the 
true  nature  of  religion,  have  all  contributed  to  this 
situation.  The  twentieth  century  affords  the  oppor- 
tunity for  the  full  release  of  the  message  of  Christ 
into  the  very  midst  of  the  most  acute  problems  of 
this  age.  Let  us  hear  his  voice  in  politics,  in  educa- 
tion, in  commerce,  in  every  possible  phase  of  our 
complex  civilization.  His  is  the  voice  of  assurance 
and  certainty.  The  Church  needs  to  come  to  a 


172  Torches  Aloft 

Christ-like  openmindedness  as  to  its  full  duty  in  the 
present  economic  struggles. 

In  the  beginning  Christianity  was  almost  entirely 
free  from  ceremonialism.  It  was  new  to  the  world, 
had  no  slavery  to  precedent,  was  not  narrowed  into 
ecclesiastical  grooves,  was  spontaneous  and  free. 
The  centuries  have  brought  more  or  less  subser- 
viency to  the  conventionalisms  of  Christianity.  The 
Church  in  some  sections  lays  a  very  great  emphasis 
on  the  ritual  and  the  sacraments,  and  who  knows 
but  the  stated  occasions  and  prescribed  rites  of  the 
Church  have  been  allowed  through  misapprehen- 
sion of  their  real  nature  and  purpose  to  dull  the  so- 
cial conscience  and  interest  of  church  members. 
The  Church  must  be  identified  with  the  day  of  rest, 
the  one  day  in  seven  known  as  the  Christian  Sab- 
bath or  Sunday.  The  Church  has  legitimate  use  for 
the  ritual  and  the  sacraments,  but  these  must  be  as- 
signed only  their  proper  place  and  relation.  No 
man  can  be  justified  in  these  days  of  social  unrest 
for  the  divorce  of  his  six-day  life  from  the  Holy 
Day  on  which  he  assembles  in  his  church  for  wor- 
ship. That  worship  day  is  a  travesty  if  it  shall  not 
work  in  the  mind  of  the  church-goer  a  keener  in- 
terest to  carry  the  very  breath  of  the  sanctuary  and 
the  high  social  ideals  of  the  Christian  religion  into 
each  and  every  activity  of  the  six-day  world.  We 
dare  not  put  our  religion  into  one  compartment  and 
our  business  and  politics  into  another.  Christian- 
ity must  rule  us  through  and  through  or  it  does  not 


The  Church  in  Social  Progress  173 

rule  us  at  all.  Business  is  not  one  thing  and  reli- 
gion another  thing. 

We  are  fully  convinced  also  that  theological  spec- 
ulations, and  they  have  been  multitudinous,  with 
the  ecclesiastical  dogmas  which  have  grown  up  in 
the  life  of  the  Church  have  served  as  a  substitute 
for  interest  in,  and  a  sense  of  responsibility  for,  hu- 
man welfare  here  and  now.  It  is  a  trick  of  the  evil 
one  to  exhaust  human  interest  and  energy  on  val- 
ueless theological  speculations  and  discussions.  The 
same  is  true  with  regard  to  those  matters  of  opinion 
which  sometimes  are  defended  and  propagated  as  if 
they  were  fundamentals  and  of  the  essence  of  re- 
ligion. When  will  we  learn  that  the  only  element 
in  Christianity  which  is  authoritative  is  the  essen- 
tial message  and  that  in  matters  of  church  polity, 
and  touching  all  that  is  associated  with  the  church 
in  its  organization  in  which  the  human  mind  is  al- 
lowed liberty  and  supposed  to  accept  creative  re- 
sponsibility generation  by  generation,  we  are  to  find 
the  realm  of  liberty  and  readjustment. 

The  exaltation  of  ecclesiasticism  has  been  allowed 
to  obscure  the  importance  of  the  spirit  of  Christ. 
The  Church  is  subordinate  to  the  King  and  his  king- 
dom. No  church  organization,  as  such,  has  any  ul- 
timate authority.  It  is  only  a  service  organization. 
It  is  to  find  its  highest  ambition  gratified  when  it 
serves  as  a  means  for  bringing  the  gospel  into  the 
heart,  hope,  and  program,  of  society.  Because  this 
subordinate  relationship  of  the  Church  as  compared 
to  the  kingdom  has  not  always  been  appreciated, 


174  Torches  Aloft 

the  world  has  at  one  time  and  another  witnessed 
worldly  even  though  powerful  ecclesiasticism  which 
at  the  same  time  was  a  sorrowful  misrepresentation 
of  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  world  does  not  need 
the  supremacy  of  ecclesiasticism  except  in  so  far  as 
that  ecclesiasticism  represents  the  spontaneous 
and  free  consent  of  disciples  in  a  given  age  in  meth- 
ods for  promoting  the  coming  of  Christ's  kingdom 
in  society.  We  should  be  as  impatient  of  ecclesi- 
astical aristocracy  as  we  shall  ever  be  of  an  aristoc- 
racy of  wealth  or  any  form  of  secularism.  The 
Church  must  make  contention  and  offer  battle  in 
behalf  of  the  people  and  not  for  herself.  According 
to  the  law  of  discipleship  she  finds  her  life  when  she 
loses  it  in  consecration  to  human  uplift.  Church 
organization  is  necessary,  but  it  is  only  justified  as 
a  means  to  an  end.  The  Church  is  a  service  organi- 
zation to  promote  Christian  experience  in  individ- 
uals and  the  kingdom  of  God  in  society. 

No  institution,  organization,  or  individual,  has 
the  right  of  self-aggrandizement.  The  State  is  un- 
der obligation  in  all  its  institutions  and  administra- 
tions to  unite  with  the  Church  in  enforcing  and  pop- 
ularizing this  ideal.  Theoretically  the  State  is  the 
custodian  of  public  welfare,  but  if  the  spirit  and 
influence  and  ideals  of  the  Church  do  not  permeate 
the  State  and  its  administrative  offices,  the  State 
may  come  to  be  the  organization  of  a  few  people 
for  the  fostering  of  special  interests  as  against  the 
general  welfare.  The  most  offensive  feature  in 
twentieth  century  Americanism  is  the  disposition 


The  Church  in  Social  Progress  175 

on  the  part  of  strong  and  alert  men  who  are  banded 
together  in  our  great  business  corporations  to  make 
warfare  on  the  public.  One  would  think  that  with 
all  the  effort  of  these  years  to  free  our  Americanism 
from  such  selfishness  that  our  financial  kings  and 
corporation  leaders  would  be  free  from  this  offense. 
One  only  needs  to  observe  the  affairs  of  almost  any 
of  our  great  cities  just  now  to  find  how  flagrant  this 
evil  is  and  how  brazen  in  its  attack  upon  the 
rights  of  the  people.  It  is  disappointing  to  find  offi- 
cials sworn  to  be  on  the  alert  in  the  protection  of 
the  people's  rights  suborned,  bribed,  and  corrupted, 
until  any  highminded  man  can  only  have  for  them 
feelings  of  contempt. 

The  Church  must  prompt  and  lead  the  State  to- 
ward higher  ideals.  There  is  a  difference  between 
things  as  they  are  and  as  they  ought  to  be.  The 
Church  can  never  stand  for  anything  else  than  for 
ideal  conditions.  Let  no  man  ask  her  to  vacate  this 
high  and  holy  position.  She  must  always  have  her 
eye  on  what  ought  to  be  and  refuse  to  compromise 
in  the  declaration  she  makes  for  the  perfected  vir- 
tue of  Christian  integrity.  The  Church  is  inter- 
ested in  having  all  the  people  actively  enlisted  in 
high-grade  politics  ever  remembering  that  political 
interest  and  administration  are  matters  no  longer  to 
be  left  to  the  tender  care  of  a  chosen  few.  Every 
man  and  woman  called  upon  to  discharge  a  part  of 
his  political  duty  at  the  ballot  box  has  the  gravest 
responsibility  in  the  securing  of  intelligence  and  in 
the  development  of  the  best  type  of  civic  conscience. 


176  Torches  Aloft 

An  entirely  new  kind  of  so-called  political  preach- 
ing is  now  in  order.  Our  audiences  are  now  free 
men.  In  the  past  the  ruling  classes  have  been  more 
than  willing  to  have  the  preacher  exercise  himself 
in  political  preaching  of  a  prescribed  kind.  To  their 
mind  it  always  involved  exaltation  of  the  duty  of 
submitting  to  the  "powers  that  be,"  but  with  scant 
instruction  as  to  what  should  be  the  character  and 
program  of  these  self-same  "powers."  As  our  elec- 
torate is  enlarged  so  must  the  message  of  the 
Church  be  enlarged  until  worthy  political  sover- 
eignty exists.  It  should  be  instructed  and  directed 
to  the  most  efficient  expression  of  Christian  charac- 
ter in  political  action.  We  are  unwilling  in  the 
twentieth  century  to  concede  anything  as  being  out- 
side of  the  realm  of  genuine  religion.  Our  industry, 
politics,  and  commerce  are  all  included. 

The  Christian  citizenship  of  America  comes  short 
of  its  duty  unless  it  raises  the  standard  of  govern- 
mental and  business  morality.  It  is  an  ordinary  ex- 
perience in  our  cities  these  days  to  find  the  lines 
tightly  drawn  in  the  conflict  between  the  corpora- 
tions which  own  and  control  public  utilities  and  the 
people  as  consumers  of  their  product.  Any  kind  of 
trickery,  fraud,  and  subtle  deception,  is  by  some 
men  in  business  thought  to  be  entirely  permissible. 
We  hope  that  the  time  is  not  distant  when  corpo- 
ration men  can  be  brought  to  see  that  the  most  con- 
structive thing  for  them  to  do  is  to  deal  with  the 
public  as  if  they  were  dealing  with  their  fellow 
Americans  and  brothers.  Some  men  are  short- 


The  Church  in  Social  Progress  177 

sighted  enough  and  have  such  dullness  of  moral 
apprehension  as  to  believe  that  such  policy  would 
be  unfruitful  of  good  financial  results.  This  is  a 
serious  mistake.  Suppose  corporation  managers, 
without  legal  compulsion,  would  act  in  a  way  con- 
ciliatory to  public  interest  and  collective  welfare. 
Suppose  they  should  be  satisfied  with  exact  social 
justice  without  compelling  the  people  to  force  such 
justice  from  them  by  the  processes  of  law  and 
the  courts.  It  is  not  difficult  to  forsee  what  a  fine 
temper  of  mind  this  would  create  in  the  life  of  our 
cities.  As  it  is  we  are  fighting  one  another.  Cor- 
poration managers  consider  that  they  are  smart,  if 
under  the  direction  of  highly  paid  lawyers  they  can 
"put  over"  on  the  people  the  most  offensive  rates 
and  unscrupulous  business  dealings.  It  seems  clear 
that  any  corporation  enforcing  the  mandates  of  pred- 
atory wealth  will  in  the  long  run  find  its  day  of 
judgment  and  reckoning.  Profits  wrung  from  the 
people  over  their  protest  when  that  protest  is  based 
on  reason  and  equity  for  all,  are  bound  to  fade  away 
in  due  time  as  snows  before  the  springtime  sun. 

All  of  our  institutions  must  accept  the  principle 
of  wholesome  change  and  normal  evolution  toward 
higher  forms  of  social  justice  and  efficiency.  The 
standpatter  in  corporation  management  in  these 
days  is  unpardonable.  The  intelligence  of  our 
American  public  has  advanced  to  that  stage  where 
the  old  methods  of  extortion,  evasion,  and  deceit, 
are  not  longer  to  be  tolerated.  The  age  is  demand- 
ing the  new  viewpoint  and  it  must  come.  Those  of 


178  Torches  Aloft 

our  people  who  stand  for  social  justice  and  for  the 
establishment  of  moral  principle  in  all  our  business 
affairs,  must  not  be  discouraged  or  become  impa- 
tient if  the  seeds  planted  to-night  are  not  full-grown 
plants  by  the  morning.  We  shall  have  to  agitate 
and  educate  until  intelligence  and  conscience  in  bus- 
iness managers  will  respond  to  the  new  social  ap- 
peal. In  this  process  of  social  and  industrial  re- 
construction no  fairy  wand  will  do  the  work.  Faith- 
ful seed  sowing,  sane  efforts  in  reform,  persistence 
in  educational  processes,  will  all  be  required  to 
bring  the  new  era  of  public  welfare. 

Christianity  invariably  bears  testimony  in  favor 
of  conditions  as  they  should  be  and  therefore  reli- 
gion is  a  disturber  of  our  selfishness  and  our  slug- 
gishness. It  will  always  be  in  advance  of  the  polit- 
ical mind  for  the  political  mind  runs  in  the  grooves 
of  compromise.  To  a  certain  degree  this  attitude  of 
the  mind  in  the  politician  is  necessary  with  our  ex- 
isting citizenship,  but  we  are  convinced  that  many  a 
politician  yields  to  it  far  more  largely  than  he 
should.  This  demand  for  the  lowering  of  ideals  and 
moral  laws  as  a  matter  of  expediency,  must  be  ser- 
iously considered.  If  men  in  official  life  would 
have  a  larger  confidence  in  the  constructive  power 
of  fidelity  to  the  right,  they  would  make  a  better 
contribution  to  human  progress.  Political  leaders, 
as  also  leaders  in  other  departments  of  life,  often 
lack  the  moral  courage  which  ought  to  be  the  requi- 
site of  all  good  leadership. 


The  Church  in  Social  Progress  179 

All  the  causes  that  held  back  the  social  efficiency 
of  Christianity  have  passed  away.  To-day  the  field 
is  absolutely  open  to  effort  of  the  intelligent  and 
prescribed  sort.  If  Christianity  does  not  in  the  next 
few  years  assert  its  power  in  behalf  of  the  elevation 
of  society  and  the  adjustment  of  our  most  trouble- 
some problems,  it  will  be  because  its  leadership  is 
lacking  in  both  insight  and  bravery.  The  Church 
has  liberty  as  in  no  other  age  to  magnify  its  com- 
mission and  to  bear  the  message  of  righteousness, 
reconciliation,  and  brotherhood,  into  the  midst  of 
our  distracted  people.  In  such  an  open  field  what 
may  not  Christianity  do?  The  leader  of  the  Chris- 
tian forces  is  Christ  the  Lord.  He  is  immaculate. 
He  is  beyond  the  assault  of  human  criticism.  His 
character  is  becoming  more  colossal  as  it  is  better 
understood  and  as  the  intelligence  of  the  race  ad- 
vances. There  is  weakness  in  his  Church  and  lack 
of  social  interest  and  devotion,  but  neither  of  these 
are  true  of  the  great  Head  of  the  Church. 


XVIII 

THE  AIMS  OF  CHRIST 

Character  determines  vision.  What  we  are  is  vi- 
tally related  to  what  we  see.  There  are  strong- 
minded  men  in  our  civilization  to-day  who  are  men- 
tally alert  and  keen  but  who  are  impaired  in  their 
social  efficiency  by  a  strange  moral  stupidity.  It 
ought  to  occur  to  intelligent  men  in  this  age  that 
moral  obtuseness  and  density  is  economically  un- 
profitable. When  a  man's  character  has  been  dulled 
to  moral  law  and  ideals  he  misapprehends  not  only 
his  own  relation  to  social  progress  but  he  misappre- 
hends any  institution  or  agency  which  is  engaged  in 
its  promotion.  It  is  under  this  principle  that  a  cer- 
tain type  of  human  personality  invariably  misjudges 
Christ  as  to  his  aims  and  his  program.  In  order  to 
appreciate  the  Bible  one  must  have  a  certain  gen- 
uineness of  moral  quality.  If  this  is  absent  then  the 
man  stupidly  blunders  in  his  attitude  toward  Chris- 
tianity and  the  Bible  as  its  great  text-book.  The 
moral  quality  of  the  man  invariably  determines  his 
relation  to  the  Holy  Scriptures.  This  principle  oper- 
ates with  absolute  certainty  and  it  is  the  explana- 
tion of  much  or  all  of  the  vituperation  which  certain 
men  heap  upon  the  Church  and  its  religion  to-day. 
By  so  doing  they  simply  advertise  their  moral  obli- 
quity and  perversion.  If  men  appreciated  more  gen- 


The  Aims  of  Christ  181 

erally  how  the  declarations  of  enmity  to  the  Bible 
and  Christianity  disclose  their  true  character,  they 
would  certainly  be  more  cautious  in  their  ebuli- 
tions  and  ravings. 

Because  of  the  fact  that  character  is  reflected  at 
once  in  one's  attitude  toward  the  Bible  and  Chris- 
tianity it  has  followed  that  men  have  read  mean- 
ings into  the  Bible  which  are  not  there  at  all.  Lit- 
erally speaking,  it  has  been  said  that  copies  of  the 
Bible  have  been  chained,  having  reference  to  local 
custom  and  usage,  but  in  no  essential  sense  has  the 
Bible  ever  been  chained.  On  the  contrary  the  hu- 
man mind  often  has  been  enslaved  and  bound.  The 
Bible  itself  has  made  the  strongest  contribution  to 
the  freedom  of  the  human  mind.  It  alone  contains 
the  disclosure  of  those  laws  by  which  the  intellect 
may  reach  its  highest  possible  development  and  effi- 
ciency. Because  the  Bible  has  been  exerting  its  be- 
nign influence  for  these  centuries  our  age  and  gen- 
eration have  reached  the  new  vision.  The  new  in- 
terpretation of  life,  politics,  commerce,  education, 
and  of  the  Church  itself  is  at  hand.  There  will  be 
no  change  in  the  essential  laws  that  have  been  from 
the  beginning  constructive  and  wholesome,  but  the 
change  will  come  in  the  new  appreciation  of  the  re- 
lation of  these  vital  forces  to  moral  control  and  to 
social  efficiency. 

This  age  is  looking  out  upon  the  processes  of 
modern  civilization  through  the  lenses  of  many  neg- 
lected truths.  The  individualistic  viewpoint  in  re- 
ligion has  had  a  long  and  continuous  reign.  It 


182  Torches  Aloft 

slowly  yields  to  the  social  point  of  view  and  we 
must  count  on  reluctant  surrender  to  the  new 
Americanism.  We  are  discovering  that  the  aims  of 
Christ  were  pre-eminently  social.  In  conformity 
with  this  fact  he  approached  the  ills  of  life  from  the 
moral  viewpoint.  He  thoroughly  understood  that 
all  the  misfortunes  of  life  that  were  really  affecting 
the  social  status,  grew  out  of  moral  evil  and  that  if 
the  natures  of  men  were  set  right  by  the  divine  in- 
dwelling, the  most  serious  ills  to  which  men  are 
heir  would  pass  away.  Our  modern  civilization  has 
been  inclined  to  reverse  this  viewpoint  and  relegate 
the  moral  principle  to  the  very  last  consideration. 
Sometimes  the  moral  phase  of  our  processes  has 
had  the  least  consideration  when  it  should  have 
been  the  object  of  our  major  concern.  Our  Lord 
wished  the  upright  life  to  be  the  common  quality  of 
all  men.  He  had  constantly  a  vision  of  a  social  or- 
der in  which  this  integrity  of  the  individual  in  the 
light  of  the  kingdom  of  God  would  be  as  common  as 
humanity  itself.  He  looked  upon  the  forces  of  evil 
as  the  implacable  foes  of  human  progress.  With  all 
that  man  might  wish  in  his  environment  granted  to 
him  our  Lord  taught  that  his  life  might  yet  be  bar- 
ren and  comfortless.  He  stated  explicitly  that  the 
kingdom  of  God  was  to  indwell  human  personality 
and  with  that  indwelling  would  relate  one  to  the 
highest  and  holiest  satisfactions  possible  in  human 
existence. 

It  is  also  plain  from  the  teachings  of  Christ  that 
if  it  were  possible  to  universalize  every  earthly  and 


The  Aims  of  Christ  183 

material  good,  the  life  of  the  race  might  yet  be  in- 
sipid and  unsatisfied.  This  teaching  is  evidently 
based  on  the  principle  that  the  deepest  need  of  man 
is  the  spiritual  need.  Communion  and  comradeship 
with  God  as  his  Creator,  Savior  and  Friend  is  a  pri- 
mary requisite.  It  is  a  primary  need  rather  than  a 
luxury  or  a  seventh  day  indulgence.  All  this  comes 
of  its  possible  registration  in  terms  of  social  atti- 
tude and  service.  It  means  in  that  form  purity, 
sympathy,  moral  courage,  social  conscience,  and 
high  ideals.  We  have  all  witnessed  how  certainly 
covetousness,  haste,  duplicity,  irritability,  unholy 
ambition,  worry,  selfishness,  all  conspire  to  bitter 
the  waters  of  life.  Wherever  these  exist  the  human 
personality  is  a  raging  sea  in  which  forces  are  for- 
ever conspiring  for  moral  ruin.  They  obscure  the 
world  of  life  and  peace  and  isolate  us  from  God  and 
the  angels. 

Once  enthroned  religion  becomes  immediately 
constructive  and  therefore  reconstructive.  Religion 
and  the  social  life  cannot  be  separated.  There  is  a 
holy  continuity  in  this  forcible  fact  so  that  in  any 
age  Christ  is  contemporary.  He  is  parallel  all  the 
centuries  with  an  anxious  leadership  which  has 
often  been  embarrassed  by  the  evil  of  the  human 
heart  and  by  the  lack  of  alertness  to  the  laws  of 
progress.  With  certain  types  of  character  Christ 
draws  and  with  others  he  repels.  Once  he  is  in- 
stalled in  the  human  heart  the  ideals  arise  con- 
stantly and  the  processes  of  social  efficiency  are  in- 
stalled. 


184  Torches  Aloft 

The  keynote  of  our  Lord's  gospel  may  be  indi- 
cated by  the  words  repentance,  brotherliness,  so- 
cial justice,  and  adjustment.  In  the  light  of  such  a 
gospel  it  is  evident  that  grafters  and  parasites  have 
direct  and  scathing  rebuke.  Christ  declared  the  ex- 
ploitation of  the  people  was  especially  worthy  of  all 
condemnation.  He  did  not  hesitate  to  deal  in  the 
most  unsparing  terms  with  character  of  this  sort. 
He  was  in  the  greatest  earnestness  for  the  doing 
away  of  all  social  wrong.  His  conception  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  was  that  it  involved  immediately, 
and  expressed  itself  in,  the  reign  of  social  justice 
and  genuine  religion.  It  was  a  fundamental  princi- 
ple in  his  teaching  that  the  kingdom  was  not  to  be 
promoted  by  force,  but  by  instruction  and  persua- 
sion. 

The  battle  of  the  kingdom  of  God  to-day,  as  in 
the  past  is  the  battle  of  the  compassionate  mind 
against  hardened  mind.  It  is  affection,  sympathy, 
and  brotherliness,  in  protest  against  heartlessness. 
The  kingdom  provides  for  a  righteous  social  order 
in  which  all  are  to  participate  and  to  which  all  are 
to  be  pledged.  Christ  as  Lord  of  the  kingdom  never 
for  a  moment  lost  sight  of  the  collective  nature  of 
mankind.  He  was  thoroughly  identified  with  the 
blessing  and  prosperity  of  his  nation.  The  very  first 
appeal  he  made  was  to  his  nation.  He  well  under- 
stood that  unless  the  Hebrew  people  should  realize 
the  day  of  their  visitation  and  should  be  led  to  reject 
him  that  his  rejection  would  mean  their  national 
doom. 


The  Aims  of  Christ  185 

With  unmistakable  authority  our  Lord  instituted 
the  Church  because  as  he  apprehended  its  function 
its  establishment  on  the  earth  would  promote  the 
kingdom  of  God  among  men.  This  essential  feature 
of  the  Church's  original  charter  needs  emphasis  in 
every  age.  The  Church  exists  to  extend  the  king- 
dom. The  Hebrew  prophets  had  been  identified 
with  that  kingdom  as  indicated  in  the  before-Christ 
age.  Even  in  the  light  afforded  to  them  they  were 
seeking  to  establish  society  under  the  highest  ideals 
known  to  them.  They  evidently  believed  that  man- 
kind was  to  be  socialized  and  made  amendable  to 
the  law  of  universal  interest  and  co-operation.  They 
conceived  the  highest  type  of  goodness  to  be  social 
or  community,  rather  than  individual.  It  is  growing 
especially  apparent  to  us  in  this  age  that  the  most 
culpable  weakness  is  that  which  uses  community 
wealth  for  the  aggrandizement  and  wealth  of  a  few 
individuals.  The  Christian  virtues  are  of  such  a  na- 
ture as  to  make  them  the  constructive  forces  of  so- 
ciety. Love  is  a  better  guide  to  conduct  than  all 
the  conventional  rules  that  have  ever  been  pub- 
lished on  the  subject. 

Opposite  coercion,  exploitation,  and  inequality, 
our  Lord  set  love,  service,  persuasion,  and  equality. 
Prophetic  religion  was  invariably  hostile  to  ritual- 
istic religion.  The  prophet's  soul  was  on  fire  with 
a  vision  of  the  future.  He  felt  the  lure  of  the  heights 
above  him.  He  was  inspired  to  the  limit  of  a  holy 
emotion.  His  enthusiasm  was  of  the  intense  and 
consuming  kind.  As  compared  with  this  intensity 


186  Torches  Aloft 

and  as  tested  by  its  onrushing  tides  anything  like 
ritualistic  observance  was  meaningless,  cold  and  re- 
pulsive. Prophetic  religion  carries  the  white  heat 
of  enthusiasm  for  human  betterment.  It  exempli- 
fies what  was  shown  in  our  Lord  by  his  hostility  to 
whatever  harmed  men  and  women  and  children.  He 
was  the  uncompromising  foe  of  whatever  injured 
the  least  among  human  creatures.  It  was  because 
of  this  intense  social  passion  and  interest  that 
Christ  warned  against  the  over-ardent  pursuit  of 
riches  and  indicated  that  such  pursuit  always  was  a 
menace  to  the  highest  qualities  of  the  soul.  His 
great  phrase  "the  deceitfulness  of  riches,"  is  not  a 
meaningless  expression.  It  is  exact,  non-pictorial 
and  severely  true.  He  understood  full  well  that 
when  great  wealth,  no  matter  by  whom  amassed, 
rapidly  comes  to  the  ownership  of  men,  that  owner- 
ship is  on  a  throne  which  should  be  reserved  to  God 
alone.  Christ  knew  full  well  that  when  men  were 
consumed  in  this  lust  for  wealth  they  were  lost  to 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

The  peculiarly  poisonous  influence  of  great 
wealth  upon  the  character  is  indicated  in  the  fact 
that  no  covetous  man  ever  discovers  that  he  has 
fallen.  The  harlot  and  the  drunkard  feel  the  bitter- 
ness of  their  sin  and  know  that  they  have  gone  far 
astray;  not  so  the  covetous  man.  It  is  the  rarest 
thing  that  the  sin  of  covetousness  is  ever  confessed. 
When  men  follow  the  bent  of  their  covetousness 
and  accumulate  vast  wealth,  their  sympathy  dies ; 
they  cease  to  have  a  sense  of  dependence,  sociability 


The  Aims  of  Christ  187 

and  moral  responsibility.  The  hard-heartedness 
passes  into  stolidity,  indifference  to  human  need, 
and  a  general  stoicism  which  is  benumbing  and  fa- 
tal. The  lures  of  great  wealth  are  its  curses.  Put  a 
rich  man  in  a  church  of  poor  people  and  embarrass- 
ment is  unavoidable.  The  sense  of  democracy  which 
Christianity  naturally  creates  is  offended  and  jeal- 
ousies arise.  The  minister  becomes  endangered  to 
compromise  since  very  few  men  can  do  as  Christ 
did,  sit  at  the  table  of  a  rich  man,  and  not  be  affected 
to  a  patronizing  air.  The  feeling  of  equality  in  the 
Church  is  especially  to  be  desired,  but  it  is  impos- 
sible save  as  equality  is  a  fact. 

Riches  have  a  three-fold  relativity ;  to  the  posses- 
sor, the  people,  and  to  God.  Jesus  made  this  clear 
in  his  treatment  of  the  rich  young  ruler.  The  ruler 
became  aware  that  in  our  Lord's  thought  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  the  ideal  human  order  and  that  if  his 
wealth  arose  between  him  and  citizenship  in  that 
kingdom  he  could  never  be  happy  until  his  wealth 
was  consecrated  to  human  need.  Jesus  was  inter- 
ested in  having  the  young  man  reach  membership 
in  his  kingdom,  because  that  kingdom  unites  jus- 
tice, equality,  and  love,  in  the  most  beautiful  har- 
mony. The  rich  man  had  not  been  able  to  approx- 
imate these  qualities  for  he  had  not  been  willing  to 
exercise  self-renunciation.  He  was  filled  with  the 
gloating  sense  of  proprietorship  over  his  wealth  in- 
stead of  a  conviction  of  stewardship.  So  long  as 
any  man  holds  his  possessions  as  his  very  own,  re- 
ligious genuineness  is  impossible.  There  have  been 


188  Torches  Aloft 

numberless  efforts  to  get  the  rich  man  through  the 
eye  of  the  needle,  but  we  have  yet  to  hear  a  theolog- 
ical disquisition  that  puts  him  through. 

The  instinct  for  the  acquisition  of  property  and 
thrift  is  divinely  implanted  and  as  we  have  indi- 
cated eleswhere  has  disti;  :t  social  value.  It  is  even 
a  virtue  commended  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  but  it 
must  be  challenged  and  controlled.  Unwary  feet 
have  been  beguiled  into  the  highways  of  destruc- 
tion because  their  rapidly  increasing  devotion  to 
money  making  was  not  challenged  and  brought  un- 
der the  control  of  faith  and  prayer.  We  know  that 
our  Lord  was  interested  in  relieving  all  sorts  of  so- 
cial distress,  for  his  miracles  had  that  in  view  rather 
than  the  proving  of  his  divinity.  Christ  knew  the 
struggles  of  poor  people  and  hence  when  the  poor 
widow  offered  her  two  mites  he  was  unstinted  in 
praise  of  her  self-sacrifice  and  devotion.  He  under- 
stood too  full  well  how  in  cases  of  disagreement  be- 
tween men  when  the  question  of  rights  should  be 
taken  to  the  courts  that  it  would  be  difficult  to 
keep  the  courts  impartial  and  unbiased.  He  recog- 
nized the  difficulty  in  the  way  of  a  judge  serving 
the  cause  of  the  poor  as  is  shown  in  the  parable  of 
the  widow  and  the  unjust  judge.  He  knew  too  that 
those  who  most  needed  a  dinner  were  never  invited 
to  one  and  so  he  exalted  the  virtue  of  making  a  feast 
for  the  poor,  the  blind,  the  maimed. 

In  the  various  contests  of  the  present  age  when 
many  policies  of  state  are  proposed  that  are  un- 
Christian,  it  is  especially  incumbent  on  church  peo- 


The  Aims  of  Christ  189 

pie  to  be  careful  of  their  attitude.  They  may  easily 
oe  beguiled  through  the  control  of  partisanship  into 
such  political  action  as  discredits  their  Christian 
discipleship.  It  needs  to  be  kept  in  mind  that  Christ 
often  opposed  the  popular  order  and  stood  out  sol- 
idly for  its  amendment  in  behalf  of  righteousness. 
Minorities  often  have  the  custody  of  the  truth  and 
time  frequently  justifies  their  contentions.  The 
Christian  may  never  accept  the  present  order  as  so 
fully  good  that  it  can  be  accepted  as  final  and  unal- 
terable. Gasoline  burned  in  bulk  serves  no  good 
purpose,  but  distributed  in  the  engine  for  measured 
explosion  it  is  invaluable  to  society.  The  men  who 
to-day  are  working  for  a  new  and  equitable  social 
order  certainly  may  point  to  Christ  as  their  leader. 
Interest  in  guiding  our  civilization  out  of  the  mazes 
created  by  its  selfishness  and  want  of  moral  fidelity 
is  worthy  of  all  praise.  Christ  would  have  us  iden- 
tified in  every  possible  way  to  this  glorious  consum- 
mation. 


XIX 

CHRIST'S  METHOD  FOR  AN  EFFICIENT 
HUMANITY 

Perhaps  at  no  time  in  the  history  of  the  race  has 
there  been  such  a  keen  interest  in  human  efficiency. 
Man  is  studied  to-day  as  if  he  were  a  machine  and 
the  question  is  how  to  secure  the  largest  number  of 
power  units  within  a  given  period  of  time.  Of 
course,  man  is  more  than  a  mechanism.  He  is  an 
immortal  spirit  retaining  even  in  his  present  estate 
a  measure  of  the  likeness  of  his  Heavenly  Father. 
Nevertheless  such  is  the  pressure  of  the  age  from 
the  economic  standpoint  that  everything  is  being 
scrutinized  with  relation  to  man's  industrial  and  la- 
bor efficiency.  Recently  a  great  commission  in  Ger- 
many made  a  report  as  to  the  influence  of  alcoholic 
beverages  upon  the  efficiency  of  laboring  people.  Of 
course,  the  verdict  was  against  the  use  of  stimu- 
lants. 

In  our  rounds  of  investigation  we  are  destined  ul- 
timately to  turn  to  the  divine  order  for  human  re- 
enforcement  and  efficiency.  Christ  Jesus  raised 
from  the  dead  is  the  beginning  of  the  new  humanity. 
He  is  the  typal  man  and  the  high  potency  which  he 
evidenced  is,  through  the  marvelous  providence  of 
divine  grace,  available  for  all  the  children  of  men. 
By  a  peculiar  obtuseness  the  headship  of  Christ  in 


Christ's  Method  for  an  Efficient  Humanity     191 

its  relation  to  our  increased  power  in  the  tasks  of 
life  has  not  been  duly  appreciated.  The  new  hu- 
manity which  is  possible,  as  the  typal  life  which  is 
in  Christ  is  appropriated  by  humanity,  will  shortly 
be  appreciated  as  it  has  not  been  for  decades  in  the 
recent  past.  Every  fresh  scrutiny  of  the  problem 
of  human  efficiency  will  bring  the  intelligence  of 
the  race  closer  to  Christ.  Christ  stands  for  vitalized 
humanity.  That  vitalization  has  reference  to  body, 
soul,  and  spirit.  It  takes  in  the  full  scope  of  man's 
powers  and  his  relation  to  every  kind  of  achieve- 
ment. The  Church  is  the  highest  expression  of  the 
humanity  that  has  been  divinely  endowed.  The 
Church  speaks  in  definite  terms  to  the  faith  of  man 
so  that  explicit  obedience  may  be  had  to  the  condi- 
tions of  power.  God  has  given  Christ,  who  is  the 
head  over  all  things,  to  the  Church  which  is  his 
body  and  which  he  indwells  and  quickens.  This 
statement  is  more  than  religious  poetry.  It  is  a 
practical  fact  susceptible  of  demonstration  in  all  the 
rugged  processes  of  toil  and  effort. 

The  Incarnation  installed  the  regnant  life  of  God 
in  the  constitution  of  the  race  inasmuch  as  it 
brought  God  directly  into  human  nature  for  specific 
purposes  of  uplift.  Constitutional  strengthening  is 
often  prescribed  for  human  ailments  and  weak- 
nesses. God  in  the  constitution  of  the  race  through 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  most  potent  factor  in  social  up- 
lift to-day.  It  is  the  plan  of  God  to  make  the  race 
a  mighty  organism  which  he  himself  will  inhabit. 
Man  inhabited  by  the  Almighty  through  the  minis- 


192  Torches  Aloft 

try  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  ideal  in  human  expe- 
rience. The  Creator  continues  to  create  in  the  realm 
of  human  personality  and  character.  He  does  this 
as  we  repent  of  our  sins,  receive  the  divine  spirit, 
and  become  the  sons  of  God  by  the  new  birth.  It 
is  inspiring  to  think  of  God  as  not  only  creating 
worlds  that  are  beyond  our  ken,  and  to  think  how 
he  is  peopling  in  all  probability  the  millions  of 
worlds  which  are  flung  out  in  space,  but  that  he  is 
also  new-creating  men  in  his  moral  image  and  like- 
ness. Sin  has  impaired  the  image,  but  God  can  re- 
store it  completely.  The  world  is  in  need  of  these 
new  character  creations  and  specific  interest  in  this 
process  is  a  general  revival  of  religion.  This  new 
creation  in  human  character  is  God's  message  for  an 
efficient  humanity.  Christ  indicated  that  this  proc- 
ess was  basic  and  vital.  No  human  living  in  Chris- 
tendom ought  to  think  for  a  moment  of  sinning 
against  the  light  of  so  gracious  a  gospel.  Humanity 
has  a  God  imparted  dignity  and  value,  but  how  much 
more  is  the  dignity  of  manhood  enhanced  when  it 
is  definitely  and  consciously  indwelt  of  God  and 
made  to  reflect  and  manifest  his  power.  It  is  the 
divine  order  that  we  all  should  come  into  the  like- 
ness of  Christ  and  that  likeness  is  not  reserved  to 
the  disembodied  state.  It  is  held  out  to  be  an  imme- 
diate goal  to  be  utilized  in  one's  career  from  the 
cradle  to  the  grave. 

Very  naturally  the  mind  needs  information  as  to 
God's  message  by  which  the  efficacious  vitalizations 
of  the  new  birth  are  made  possible.  If  such  a  vital- 


Christ's  Method  for  an  Efficient  Humanity     193 

ization  has  efficacy,  and  it  has,  and  if  knowledge  of 
the  method  is  possible  and  it  is,  then  by  all  means 
let  our  attention  be  riveted  upon  the  realization.  We 
hear  much  in  these  days  about  the  proposed  unity  of 
the  race.  In  fact,  Christianity  teaches  definitely 
that  unity.  God's  method  for  actualizing  that  unity 
and  making  it  a  potent  factor  for  the  uplift  of  all 
nations  is  by  this  gracious  vitalization.  The  Heav- 
enly Father  declares  that  this  actualization  is  imme- 
diately in  the  zone  of  a  divinely  begotten  brother- 
hood. The  brotherhood  is  essentially  impossible 
without  the  vitalization.  Satan  has  a  spurious  plan 
for  forming  a  unified  humanity.  He  presumes  to 
parallel  God's  plans,  but  he  cannot  employ  God's 
methods.  He  is  capable  of  strategy  and  one  phase 
of  it  is  to  lead  men  to  confide  in  his  futile  and  power- 
less methods  of  unification.  Many  apparently  keen- 
minded  people  in  these  days  are  deceived  by  satanic 
strategy.  They  presume  to  omit  God's  method  for 
unifying  mankind  and  yet  succeed  in  reaching  the 
great  goal.  They  are  doomed  to  disappointment. 

Unmistakably  the  age  is  evolving  a  new  humanity 
and  the  Church,  which  is  the  body  of  Christ,  com- 
posed of  all  who  have  been  divinely  quickened  and 
who  are  citizens  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  is  the 
center  of  the  new  humanity.  The  Anti-Christ  or 
the  would  be  unified  secular  humanity  which  omits 
spiritual  religion  and  the  new  birth  is  in  evidence 
in  the  thought  life  about  us  everywhere.  The  secu- 
larists affirm  that  all  the  world  needs  is  a  few  social 
and  ethical  ideals.  They  seem  not  to  have  noted  at 


194  Torches  Aloft 

all  that  all  history  confirms  the  position  that  men 
are  helpless  under  the  highest  ideals  unless  they  re- 
ceive moral  power  for  their  measurable  achieve- 
ment. High  moral  ideals  but  plague  the  human  con- 
science until  the  glorious  Christ  has  been  enthroned 
in  the  soul.  The  age  needs  more  than  ethical  ideals. 
It  needs  the  power  of  God  as  manifest  in  Christ  Je- 
sus. Any  kind  of  a  unification  that  omits  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ  is  really  a  hindrance  to  human  prog- 
ress and  will  prove  to  be  a  broken  shaft  wounding 
those  who  lean  upon  it. 

In  his  devotion  to  science,  which  is  an  age  char- 
acteristic, man  sometimes  becomes  a  self-worshiper. 
With  some  modernists  science  has  been  set  in 
Christ's  throne  and  stead.  Such  an  attitude  means 
loss  and  disappointment.  It  means  broken  life  and 
arrested  development.  The  human  heart  thrones 
belong  to  our  Lord  and  when  he  occupies  them  we 
know  the  reign  of  peace  and  power.  Some  would 
have  us  believe  that  all  that  is  needed  in  this  age 
is  purely  secular  education.  They  would  exact  for 
science  and  secular  education  the  religious  attitude. 
They  ask  the  present  age  to  accept  these  in  lieu  of 
the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Savior.  By  misappre- 
hension, or  moral  perversity,  they  bow  down  and 
out  the  spiritual  experience  of  Christianity.  They 
would  annul  the  demand  for  the  moral  and  spiritual 
cecreation  of  mankind.  All  the  devotees  of  this  spur- 
ious and  would-be  gospel  are  sure  to  meet  disap- 
pointment. It  will  be  found  by  all  who  worship  at 
this  shrine  that  it  is  inhabited  by  satanic  deception. 


Christ's  Method  for  an  Efficient  Humanity     195 

Satan  can  only  work  with  twilights  and  shadows. 
The  noondays  and  certitudes  belong  to  the  Christ 
and  to  him  only.  Satan  must  needs  work  with  per- 
ishable material  in  the  form  of  unregenerated  per- 
sonality while  Christ  builds  in  the  imperishable 
character  creations  of  his  own  mighty  grace.  Christ 
creates  a  living  organism  which  he  indwells,  while 
Satan  can  only  form  an  organization  which  he  dis- 
appoints and  deludes.  Satan  can  only  undertake  to 
draw  unquickened  humanity  about  certain  unifying 
ideals,  such  for  instance  as  human  brotherhood. 
These  ideals  he  would  steal  from  the  only  Lord  of 
life  and  presume  to  delude  men  into  believing  that 
real  brotherhood  is  in  his  province  and  power  to  be- 
stow. He  encourages  the  false  hope  that  all  the  ills 
of  human  society  can  be  cured  by  secular  organiza- 
tion and  agency.  He  inspires  men  to  disparage  the 
Church,  belittle  the  ministry,  and  ridicule  the  Bible. 
Those  whom  he  deceives  are  to  be  pitied  and  the 
day  of  their  disillusionment  is  to  be  forwarded  in 
every  possible  way. 

The  call  of  Christ,  which  is  to  all  mankind,  is  the 
call  to  genuine  religious  character  under  his  master- 
ful power  and  direction.  Our  Lord  understands  full 
well,  for  he  has  clearly  communicated  the  fact  to  us, 
that  spurious  religion  is  as  fatal  as  genuine  secular- 
ism. They  are  both  in  the  same  zone  or  class.  When 
Christ  came  he  was  immediately  confronted  and  op- 
posed not  only  by  the  secularists  and  the  worldly 
but  by  the  spurious  religionists  as  well.  It  was 
these  latter  who  put  him  to  death  upon  the  cross. 


196  Torches  Aloft 

When  Anti-Christ  comes  in  modern  movements  and 
propagandas,  the  misguided  crowd  may  place  him 
at  the  head  of  the  procession  and  worship  him. 
What  a  usurpation  of  the  place  which  belongs  to 
our  Lord  this  is  and  how  the  misguided  crowd  must 
always  appeal  to  our  sympathy. 

Adam,  as  the  head  of  the  race  physically  failed 
in  moral  integrity,  and  dissension  followed.  The 
race  was  dispersed  and  divided  into  contending 
tribes  and  groups.  Now  the  race  is  intuitively  and 
anxiously  feeling  its  way  toward  a  new  headship. 
The  desire  for  dependable  and  worthy  leadership 
is  one  of  the  strongest  cravings  of  the  race  at  this 
time.  The  world  was  never  as  ready  to  follow  gen- 
uine and  unselfish  leadership  as  now.  It  was  never 
so  thoroughly  rebellious  against  the  boss  and  the 
demagogue.  It  scorns  mere  party  slogans  when  the 
party  has  abdicated  in  the  defense  of  the  rights  of 
the  people  and  has  no  progressive  policies.  Our  ef- 
forts at  unity  are  but  the  reflection  of  a  genuine  and 
deeply  felt  need.  We  need  to  get  together.  Our 
dissensions  ought  to  perish.  The  great  harmonies 
ought  to  be  magnified  and  heralded.  The  fact  that 
the  race  is  calling  out  for  unity,  is  a  disclosure  of  a 
divinely  implanted  desire.  Christ  as  the  second  head 
of  the  race,  the  type  to  which  we  all  may  come,  will 
"not  fail  nor  be  discouraged  till  he  shall  have  set 
justice  in  the  earth  and  the  isles  shall  wait  for  his 
law."  To  him  be  the  glory,  the  honor,  and  the  do- 
minion, forever,  amen ! 


XX. 

THREE  GIANTS 

The  three  giants  which  we  presume  to  discuss  in 
this  chapter  are  the  Home,  the  Church,  and  the 
School.  They  are  all,  by  the  common  consent  of 
civilized  races,  of  tremendous  importance  and  their 
study  and  exaltation  become  us  all.  These  giants 
are  natural  allies  of  one  another  but  they  are  not 
always  in  co-operation  as  they  might  be,  if,  as  insti- 
tutions, they  were  better  appreciated  and  their 
common  work  accepted  heartily  and  faithfully  by 
all  the  people.  If  our  civilization  is  to  be  efficient 
they  must  be  brought  to  sympathetic  and  supple- 
mental effort.  The  idea  of  training  and  nurture 
runs  through  all  of  them.  In  the  home  it  is  pa- 
rental training  in  all  the  fundamentals  of  life.  In 
the  Church  it  is  training  and  nurture  with  especial 
emphasis  on  religious  development.  In  the  school 
the  State  acts  with  a  view  to  a  worthy  and  intelli- 
gent citizenship.  Are  there  common  bonds  and  ob- 
jectives, which  make  it  necessary  and  exceedingly 
desirable  that  all  these  institutions  act  in  close  con- 
junction and  with  mutual  recognition  and  respect? 
Is  it  true  that  the  greatest  efficiency  of  each  is  con- 
tingent on  well  denned  programs  of  co-operation  so 
that  while  methods  are  necessarily  different  they 
all  agree  in  the  mutuality  of  their  obligations  and 
the  sacred  functions  of  each?  To  these  questions 


198  Torches  Aloft 

there  can  be  but  one  answer  and  that  is  in  the 
affirmative. 

The  home  is  the  oldest  institution  in  the  history 
of  the  race.  It  not  only  comes  first  historically,  but 
it  stands  first  by  logic  and  efficiency.  Its  creden- 
tials are  honorable  and  its  utility  has  never  been 
successfully  or  seriously  questioned.  Our  civiliza- 
tion has  brought  it  under  some  new  tests  and  a  few 
persons  have  gone  so  far  as  to  declare  that  the  home 
is  passing.  We  do  not  for  a  moment  accept  the 
statement  even  in  the  sense  that  as  a  training  in- 
stitution it  is  about  to  be  misplaced. 

The  fact  is  that  for  certain  obvious  reasons  no 
mortal  ever  escapes  an  educational  touch  of  some 
sort  from  the  home.  It  may  be  negative,  but  the 
impression  is  sure  to  be  made.  The  very  atmos- 
phere of  the  home  stays  with  us  as  long  as  life  en- 
dures. The  race  has  no  other  institution  that  can 
take  its  place,  for  it  came  by  Divine  order  and  it 
is  fundamental  in  human  happiness  and  welfare. 
The  Church  and  the  school  touch  human  life  after 
the  home  has  had  the  first  chance  and,  good  and 
glorious  as  they  are  they  can  never  entirely  recover 
a  human  life  from  the  hurt  of  a  bad  or  inefficient 
home.  The  poets  of  the  world  have  poured  out 
their  treasures  in  the  praise  of  the  home,  and  mere 
mention  of  the  word  revives  the  tenderest  mem- 
ories and  the  deepest  emotions.  The  hour  is  ur- 
gently calling  for  a  fresh  study  of  the  home  and  the 
laws  of  its  efficiency,  for  our  modern  civilization 
can  but  be  in  peril  by  its  omission  in  the  nurture 


Three  Giants  199 

agencies.  There  are  serious  defects  in  many  of  our 
American  homes,  but  if  we  can  agree  as  to  what 
they  are,  and  set  ourselves  to  the  task  of  eliminating 
them,  we  shall  do  well.  The  home  is  seriously  lack- 
ing, when  it  does  not  do  a  goodly  share  of  the  real 
educational  work  required  in  the  training  of  the 
child.  Truly  the  home  that  does  little  or  nothing 
of  this  vital  work  within  its  own  threshold,  is  sadly 
delinquent.  Fathers  and  mothers  have  a  responsi- 
bility for  actual  effort  and  achievement  in  this 
respect  and  they  can  not  turn  it  all  over  to  proxies 
without  irreparable  damage  to  their  offspring. 
Honored  and  rewarded  will  be  the  parent  who  serves 
first  and  foremost  in  the  education  of  the  child  and 
blessed  and  favored  the  child  who  receives  such 
nurture.  To  look  into  the  love-lit  faces  of  godly  and 
intelligent  parents,  is  to  face  the  finest  university 
the  child  may  ever  know.  No  teaching  after  all 
can  ever  be  as  influential  as  that  which  parents 
can  give  to  their  own  children.  Fathers  and  mothers 
may  well  be  jealous  of  this  heavenly  opportunity. 
Many  homes  lack  the  essential  element  of  whole- 
some, intelligent,  and  firm  discipline.  It  is  fair  to 
say  that  in  comparison  with  the  homes  of  a  half 
century  ago,  the  homes  of  to-day  have  a  lower  per- 
centage of  this  quality.  A  number  of  things  ac- 
count for  this  and  other  defects  in  our  modern 
homes.  Take  for  instance  the  struggle  for  a  live- 
lihood and  in  many  homes  this  is  so  severe  and  un- 
ceasing, that  parents  have  almost  no  time  or 
strength  to  expend  in  the  supremely  important  duty, 


200  Torches  Aloft 

of  controling  and  directing  their  own  children. 
Economic  conditions  that  have  this  result,  should 
be  observed  and  remedied.  We  must  do  something 
more  than  deplore  such  a  condition.  We  must  lo- 
cate by  impartial  and  thorough  investigation,  the 
cause  and  proceed  forthwith  to  remove  it  at  all  cost. 
In  other  chapters  of  this  book,  we  discuss  this  ques- 
tion at  some  length  while  here  we  especially  seek 
to  freshen  the  thought  and  interest  of  fathers  and 
mothers,  so  that  they  will  accept  and  act  upon 
this  most  sacred  trusteeship  of  child  training  and 
nurture.  Fathers  and  mothers  are  administrators 
of  law  and  government.  They  represent  God  in 
moral  authority  and  restraint.  The  responsibility 
for  begetting  children  in  holy  wedlock,  is  paralleled 
by  the  obligation  for  government  and  guidance. 
This  is  all  endangered  by  low  standards  and  ideals 
in  parents  and  is  a  cogent  reinforcement  to  the 
Christian  demand,  that  all  parents  should  be  deeply 
concerned  for  their  own  example,  character,  and  in- 
fluence. When  discipline  is  destroyed  in  the  homes 
it  installs  a  small  kingdom  of  anarchy  and  the 
heavens  weep.  Because  of  all  of  these  and  other 
considerations,  it  is  evident  that  divorces,  family 
quarrels,  and  bickerings  are  all  the  deadly  foes 
of  home  efficiency  and  that  they  pass  into  the  life 
of  society,  broods  of  poisonous  influences.  The 
nation  may  well  weep,  when  altars  and  harmonies 
disappear  from  our  homes.  Almost  every  good 
which  the  Church  and  the  school  are  set  to  accom- 
plish, is  either  annulled  or  made  exceedingly  diffi- 


Three  Giants  201 

cult  when  the  homes  of  the  community  fail  in  the 
exercise  of  those  wholesome  restraints  which  time 
has  shown  to  be  imperative.  It  is  evident  that 
many  of  our  American  homes  should  co-operate 
more  directly  and  specifically  with  our  churches 
and  schools.  There  should  be  strong  lines  of  sym- 
pathy and  interest  running  straight  from  every 
home  to  both  of  the  other  great  institutions  named. 
Parents  should  most  unquestionably  be  identified 
with  the  Church  and  they  should  frequently  visit 
the  schools.  They  should  seek  by  appropriate  in- 
terview or  otherwise,  a  point  of  contact  with  the 
teachers  of  their  children.  They  should  familiarize 
themselves  as  fully  as  practicable,  with  the  school 
study  courses  and  methods. 

It  is  serious  beyond  estimate  when  the  home 
for  any  reason  omits  its  own  share  of  systematic 
instruction  and  nurture.  Neither  the  Church  nor 
the  school  can  be  restrained  for  this  exalted  min- 
istry of  the  home.  The  home  which  does  not  give 
its  offspring  definite  religious  culture  is  even  more 
culpable  than  either  Church  or  school,  for  it  has 
the  first  and  most  primary  responsibility.  If  fathers 
and  mothers  would  take  time  to  lead  their  children 
into  real  intelligence  of  the  Bible,  the  Church,  and 
the  laws  of  religious  development,  they  would  in- 
sure the  moral  safety  of  the  children  and  the  efficacy 
of  the  Church  and  the  school.  It  is  illogical  to 
throw  the  blame  for  straying  youth  on  either  of  the 
last  named  institutions,  when  the  home  has  failed 
to  make  its  own  contribution  to  integrity  and  high 


202  Torches  Aloft 

character.  Unfortunately,  many  homes  in  our 
country  are  nothing  more  than  poor  boarding 
houses,  where  children  fail  to  receive  either  good 
food  or  wholesome  sleep.  These  defective  homes 
that  are  a  travesty  on  a  great  institution  as  God 
has  ordained  it,  may  well  appeal  to  our  time  and 
effort  in  their  reconstruction. 

The  talent  and  capital  of  the  nation  may  well  be 
enlisted  to  change  poor  homes  into  better  ones  and 
reckon  that  no  task  has  greater  promise  of  reward. 
How  dare  we  be  inactive  and  unconsecrated  when 
the  future  of  the  Republic  is  in  our  keeping?  It 
is  more  than  desirable  that  the  time  honored  and 
sane  practice  of  family  worship  in  the  home,  be- 
come the  universal  custom  of  Americans.  Appro- 
priately, thoughtfully,  and  tenderly  done,  it  has  in- 
calculable power  for  good.  With  all  that  modern 
life  is  doing  for  us  to-day,  there  are  multitudes  of 
our  citizens,  who  can  testify  that  much  of  their 
moral  strength  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  fact,  that 
in  childhood,  a  godly  father  and  mother  trained  them 
daily  in  family  prayers.  America  can  well  afford 
to  tabulate  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  parents 
of  every  school  district  and  carefully  cultivate  them 
through  the  mails  and  otherwise  by  suitable  liter- 
ature, by  occasional  lectures,  and  in  every  appro- 
priate way  or  method,  in  behalf  of  a  generation  of 
stalwart  citizens.  We  shall  never  have  them  until 
the  original  institution  for  their  training  has  been 
more  nearly  standardized,  so  that  it  shall  turn 
over  to  the  other  giants  of  this  trinity,  an  embryo- 


Three  Giants  203 

nic  citizenship,  ripe  for  fuller  development.  The 
home  simply  must  do  its  work  genuinely,  and  if  you 
please  scientifically,  if  our  civilization  is  to  be  power- 
ful and  enduring.  Our  municipal,  state,  and  na- 
tional governments,  may  well  take  up  this  home 
culture  assiduously,  for  it  is  even  more  important 
than  our  departments  of  agriculture  and  commerce. 
It  will  bear  fruit  in  less  work  for  juvenile  courts, 
reform  schools,  and  all  punitive  processes.  Why 
should  the  government  omit  its  best  efforts  to  de- 
velop home  and  family  efficiency?  America  can 
not  afford  inferior  home  life  for  its  children.  By 
what  sort  of  logic  are  we  more  active  for  food  stock, 
than  for  the  human  stock? 

The  Church  is  the  natural  ally  of  the  home  and 
the  school.  On  the  whole  it  is  fair  to  say  that 
even  when  the  State  has  hesitated,  the  Church  has 
undertaken  the  task  of  providing  for  the  education 
of  the  children  and  ;youth.  Christianity  by  its 
essential  nature,  imposes  the  duty  of  educating  the 
young,  upon  organized  society.  Not  only  indirectly 
through  the  States  does  the  Church  stand  for  educa- 
tion, but  directly  it  establishes  schools  where  their 
establishing  seems  necessary.  Christianity  has  been 
the  most  potent  influence  in  the  history  of  the  race 
in  behalf  of  learning.  At  times  and  in  some  forms 
the  organized  Church  has  incompletely  embodied 
the  Christian  position  as  to  learning  and  so  has  not 
uniformly  stood  for  the  most  liberal  education,  but 
this  misapprehension  of  the  attitude  required  by 
Christianity  has  been  corrected  so  that  the  Church 


204  Torches  Aloft 

has  stood  for  the  highest  possible  human  devel- 
opment. At  the  present  time  the  attitude  of  the 
Protestant  Church  throughout  the  world,  and  cer- 
tainly in  the  United  States,  is  that  of  the  fullest 
and  heartiest  sympathy  with  the  public  school  sys- 
tem as  conducted  by  the  State.  This  discussion  is 
from  the  viewpoint  of  the  Protestant  Church.  The 
Roman  Catholic  must  answer  for  its  attitude  of 
hostility  which  we  hold  to  be  dictated  by  a  misap- 
prehension of  the  real  Christian  position.  The 
Church  asks  that  those  who  administer  in  behalf  of 
the  State  in  education  shall  reach  a  correct  and  logi- 
cal attitude,  in  regard  to  the  moral  and  religious 
development  of  the  children,  as  well  as  their  intel- 
lectual development.  In  the  United  States,  the  State 
has  practically  assumed  the  total  educational  re- 
sponsibility. It  is  not  only  dominating  the  public 
educational  system,  but  is  dictating  to  the  denomina- 
tional colleges  as  to  study  courses,  faculty,  and 
equipment.  In  other  words  the  State  is  enforcing  its 
requirements  of  standardization.  There  is  no  ob- 
jection to  this  on  the  part  of  the  Church  for  she  ac- 
cepts the  principle  that  the  power  of  the  State  is  or- 
dained of  God.  She  does  ask  however  that  those  who 
administer  for  the  State  in  education  as  well  as  those 
who  teach  directly,  shall  be  ever  careful  not  to 
violate  the  reasonable  expectation  of  the  Church, 
that  the  schools  conducted  by  the  State,  shall  re- 
frain from  all  antagonism  to  the  Church  and  re- 
ligion, as  the  lowest  grade  of  attitude  permissible 
in  school  circles.  The  State  can  not  do  less  than 


Three  Giants  205 

enforce  this  negative  position  and  it  should  be 
the  practice  by  an  innate  sense  of  propriety.  At  the 
present  the  State,  probably,  without  knowing  it, 
or  at  least  without  fully  appreciating  its  serious- 
ness to  the  Church,  in  effect  circumscribes  the 
Church  in  her  own  educational  work.  Because  the 
normal  development  of  the  child  calls  for  the  re- 
ligious life,  and  because  the  State  has  no  right  to 
be  oblivious  to  this  need,  it  is  unwise  for  the  State 
and  unfair  toward  the  Church,  for  the  school  to 
exclude  the  distinguishing  textbook  of  the  Church 
from  the  schools  in  the  form  of  selected  portions  at 
least.  The  use  of  selected  portions  would  satisfy 
the  Church  and  at  the  same  time  be  in  keeping  with 
sound  pedagogical  principles.  In  our  system  of 
government  the  State  undoubtedly  has  the  right  to 
exclude  sectarian  teaching  from  the  schools,  but  it 
has  no  right  to  exclude  the  essential  messages  of 
religion,  which  are  accepted  by  the  universal 
Church.  The  Church  has  no  wish  to  dominate  the 
public  schools  directly  for  that  would  be  obviously 
un-American.  She  only  asks  to  be  classified  as  a 
helper  and  ally  of  the  home  and  the  school,  and 
that  she  be  allowed  and  allotted  by  school  adminis- 
tration her  essential  message  and  function  in  the 
process  of  building  up  a  great  nation.  The  Church 
believes  in  her  message  as  she  believes  in  God  the 
Father  and  in  the  Savior,  in  whose  redeeming  love 
she  bases  her  hopes.  The  Church  does  wish  to 
serve  the  State  and  the  race  in  God's  order,  for 
she  believes  that  at  the  last  she  must  give  account  to 


206  Torches  Aloft 

God  for  her  stewardship.  It  seems  entirely  reason- 
able that  the  State  should  allow  the  use  of  public 
school  buildings  for  vacation  Bible  schools  and 
even  encourage  such  use  of  them.  Some  communi- 
ties have  taken  up  the  method  of  dismissing  the 
scholars  for  a  half  day  in  each  week  or  for  an  hour 
at  least,  and  encouraging  their  assembly  in  their 
preferred  churches  for  religious  instruction  by  the 
respective  church  authorities.  There  does  not  ap- 
pear to  be  any  convincing  objection  to  this  plan  and 
the  school  authorities  might  well  recognize  this 
work  by  giving  suitable  credit.  The  students 
would  then  feel  that  the  work  was  not  an  intrusion 
on  their  time  and  interest.  In  these  and  other  ways 
the  Church  would  like  to  have  the  alliance  between 
the  "Three  Giants"  demonstrated.  She  would  like 
the  door  open  for  service  and  co-operation.  She 
believes  that  religion  should  be  given  its  normal 
place  in  the  development  of  the  nation's  coming  cit- 
izens and  offers  a  plea  for  the  normal  in  human 
life.  She  holds  that  religion  is  after  all  normal 
and  irreligion  abnormal.  It  is  because  the  Protes- 
tant Church  believes  thoroughly  in  the  public 
schools  and  their  efficiency  as  agencies  of  good  that 
she  asks  earnestly  to  have  her  message  and  exis- 
tence as  an  ally  admitted  sympathetically  and  acted 
upon  appropriately  by  the  school.  The  Church  has 
incorporated  the  school  idea  and  method  into  her 
one  special  day  of  activity  and  accepts  the  demand 
as  legitimate  that  the  Sunday  Bible  school  shall 
be  made  increasingly  efficient  by  the  adoption  of 


Three  Giants  207 

modern  principles  of  pedagogy  and  the  erection  of 
buildings  that  may  suitably  house  this  most  impor- 
tant department  of  her  service.  The  Sunday  school 
having  a  sense  of  disadvantage  in  the  fact  that  it 
has  the  scholars  for  only  one  hour  in  the  seven  days 
asks  through  the  Church  that  its  tasks  and  message 
be  incorporated  so  far  as  may  be  in  the  program  of 
the  week-day  schools.  This  demand  does  not  ap- 
pear to  be  unreasonable  or  sectarian.  The  Church, 
meanwhile  she  asks  for  common  interest  between 
the  public  schools  and  the  Sunday  schools,  will 
hold  herself  responsible  for  bringing  the  teaching 
force  of  her  Bible  schools  up  to  modern  standards 
of  efficiency.  The  problem  of  allying  the  public 
schools  with  the  Church  in  the  work  of  religious 
education  is  made  more  difficult  owing  to  the  fact 
that  the  formal  organization  of  the  Church  is  not 
simple  but  exceedingly  complex.  America  has  ac- 
corded the  fullest  liberty  in  religious  faith  and  prac- 
tice with  the  result,  that  we  have  a  multitude  of 
sects  who  in  the  very  nature  of  the  situation  are 
more  or  less  competitive  even  to  the  point  of  rivalry 
which  makes  jealousy  easily  possible.  This  situ- 
ation works  a  measure  of  embarrassment  whenever 
the  subject  of  religion  is  brought  up  in  connection 
with  the  work  of  the  public  schools.  These  reli- 
gious sects  are  all  anxious  for  the  success  of  their 
special  propaganda  and  they  seek  disciples  in  all 
the  community  of  the  country.  We  believe  that 
in  a  matter  of  such  fundamental  importance,  sectar- 
ian leaders  should  bury  their  differences  and  put 


208  Torches  Aloft 

an  end  to  their  jealousies.  It  does  not  seem  nec- 
essary, that  when  the  simple  proposition  is  up  of  in- 
troducing the  use  of  selected  portions  of  the  Bible 
into  the  schools,  that  the  different  schools  of  re- 
ligionists should  bring  on  a  contention  that  would 
at  once  tie  the  hands  of  the  school  authorities,  so 
that  they  feel  compelled  to  disallow  even  so  sim- 
ple a  recognition  of  the  place  of  religion  in  education 
as  this  would  indicate.  We  believe  that  it  is  the 
duty  of  Church  leaders  to  come  to  such  sanity  of 
attitude  toward  the  solution  of  this  problem,  as  will 
lead  us  out  of  our  dilemma  into  an  approved  policy, 
such  as  will  command  the  essential  agreement  of  the 
public.  It  will  be  necessary  for  the  different  sects 
to  forego  in  some  degree  their  zeal  for  their  own 
particular  views.  They  will  need  to  unite  in  a  dis-> 
position  to  serve  simply  and  solely  the  religious 
need  of  the  child,  omitting  entirely  any  reference  to 
sectarian  affiliation.  Let  the  educational  process 
carry  only  the  fundamental  religious  truth  in  which 
all  right-minded  people  can  agree. 

What  is  the  appropriate  attitude  of  the  public 
school  and  the  authorities  who  administer  it,  in  the 
United  States,  toward  the  Church  and  religion? 
Most  certainly  there  is  no  history  or  logic  to  jus- 
tify hostility,  estrangement,  or  scant  courtesy.  One 
who  would  line  up  the  schools  against  the  Church 
and  religion,  does  violence  to  the  highest  courts, 
ideals,  and  traditions  of  America.  It  is  incongruous 
for  any  American  community  to  encourage  or  allow 
either  omission  or  evasion  of  the  place  of  religion  in 


Three  Giants  209 

the  educational  process.  If  the  writer  has  any 
bias  on  this  subject  it  is  in  favor  of  the  American 
Public  School  system,  but  he  is  also  convinced  that 
in  our  great  zeal  to  keep  the  schools  free  from  so- 
called  sectarian  control  we  can  easily  drift  into  an 
attitude  of  semi-antagonism  to  religion  of  any  faith 
whatever.  There  is  but  a  thin  partition  between 
neutrality  and  antagonism.  On  the  broad  question 
of  Christianity  and  religion,  our  American  schools 
have  no  justification  for  either  neutrality  or  an- 
tagonism. We  must  consider  that  under  our  form 
of  government,  excellent  as  it  is,  we  are  in  danger 
of  permitting  multitudes  of  our  children  and  youth 
to  pass  through  their  most  impressionable  years, 
without  anything  like  a  befitting  contribution  from 
the  schools  to  the  religious  culture  and  development 
of  our  coming  citizenship.  This  omission  is  unfair 
to  our  boys  and  girls.  The  history  of  the  race  dem- 
onstrates absolutely  the  need  of  religion  in  es- 
tablishing dependable  moral  character  and  conduct. 
There  have  been  lamentable  weaknesses  associated 
with  various  religions  in  many  lands  and  in  many 
periods  of  history,  but  this  affords  no  argument 
against  the  essential  worthiness  of  religion  in  the 
curriculum  of  any  institution  that  proposes  to  train 
the  oncoming  generations.  Repeatedly  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  United  States  has  declared  that 
this  is  a  Christian  nation.  These  declarations  give 
the  highest  legal  sanction  to  the  idea  that  in  the 
matter  of  laws  and  institutions,  the  American  Re- 
public has  accepted  as  fundamental,  the  institutions, 


210  Torches  Aloft 

laws,  and  principles  of  Christianity  as  her  standard. 
This  is  the  historical  American  attitude.  The  Ordi- 
nance of  1787  declares  "that  general  morality  and 
knowledge  are  necessary  to  good  government"  and 
this  is  the  Christian  position.  Washington,  the  first 
President  of  the  Republic,  said,  "We  cannot  expect 
national  morality  to  prevail  in  exclusion  of  religious 
principles."  It  is  in  controvertible  that  the  best  minds 
in  judicial  responsibility  have  by  their  declaration 
left  no  room  for  doubt  as  to  how  America  is  to  be 
classified  religiously.  We  can  think  of  no  greater 
calamity,  than  that  the  home,  the  Church,  and  the 
school,  should  fail  through  misapprehension  of 
common  duties  to  be  front  line  allies  in  the  mighty 
task  of  keeping  back  the  forces  of  disintegration  and 
promoting  the  high  type  of  character  which  our 
citizenship  responsibilities  require.  Hostility  to  a 
sound  religious  message  on  the  part  of  school  au- 
thorities and  teachers  is  inexplicable.  It  seems 
more  than  strange  that  recently  some  of  our  courts 
and  legislatures  have  shown  more  or  less  hostility 
to  bringing  into  the  public  schools  any  religious 
teaching  and  especially  against  the  use  of  the  Bible 
in  the  schools.  We  fail  to  see  that  it  follows,  be- 
cause, we  have  ordained  the  separation  of  church 
and  state  in  America,  that  even  such  a  recognition 
of  religion  and  the  universal  Church  as  the  use  of 
selected  portions  of  the  Bible  in  the  schools  in- 
volved, is  forbidden  and  illogical.  Such  a  conclu- 
sion seems  to  be  based  on  defective  if  not  vicious 
logic.  We  believe  that  every  educational  process 


Three  Giants  211 

and  institution  in  the  country  should  embrace  and 
forward  the  message  of  Christian  morality.  If  we 
are  not  careful  our  apprehension  of  trouble,  with  re- 
ligion recognized  in  the  schools,  and  our  purpose 
and  effort  to  side  step  it  entirely,  will  entitle  us  to 
the  criticism  that  our  educational  system  is  pagan. 
It  should  bring  no  offense  to  any  fair-minded  Ameri- 
can if  our  schools  were  to  show  the  contemporan- 
eousness of  Biblical  and  non-Biblical  characters. 
In  view  of  the  difficulty  of  relating  the  home,  the 
Church,  the  school,  in  such  fellowship,  as  will  make 
them  allies  in  fact,  contributors  to  a  common  end, 
inspired  by  a  common  motive,  we  believe  it  is  the 
urgent  duty  of  educators,  religious  leaders,  parents, 
and  citizens  to  get  together  over  the  question  and 
confer  for  the  solution  of  the  problem.  Since  the 
subject  can  not  be  neglected  without  a  fatal  injury 
to  American  citizenship  a  way  out  must  be  found. 
The  world  has  yet  to  find  how  it  can  be  made  safe 
to  undertake  to  develop  a  human  life  apart  from 
God  and  the  experiences  and  restraints  of  Chris- 
tianity. As  to  the  very  great  desirability  of  reach- 
ing a  practical  basis  for  co-operation  there  can  be 
but  one  opinion.  We  shall  need  to  require  high- 
grade  character  in  school  authorities  and  to  keep 
the  control  of  the  schools  out  of  the  debasing  influ- 
ence of  partisan  politics.  We  believe  that  all  pub- 
lic school-teachers  should  be  identified  with  some 
religious  organization.  We  fail  to  see  any  excuse 
for  neutrality  or  omission  of  this  identification. 


212  Torches  Aloft 

Nothing  but  blighting  effects  can  follow  if  sepa- 
rately or  in  toto  these  "Three  Giants"  fail  of  effi- 
ciency and  co-operation.  When  they  are  not  all  doing 
their  work  well,  we  shall  find  our  youth  lacking  in 
docility,  reverence,  teachableness,  and  self  control. 
We  shall  find  them  blatant,  brazen,  given  to  offen- 
siveness,  audacity,  lacking  in  respect  for  constituted 
authority,  and  lawlessness  growing  in  the  whole 
social  order.  If  they  fail  we  shall  find  our  civili- 
zation suffering  from  weak  and  confused  moral  con- 
ceptions. The  omission  of  religion  is  the  unmaking 
of  character.  Selfishness  grows  apace  and  every- 
where an  apathy  toward  the  highest  qualities  and 
achievements  of  human  nature.  If  this  God-or- 
dained trinity  fail,  we  have  nothing  to  expect  but 
progressive  degeneracy  and  character  ruin.  We 
must  stem  these  destructive  tendencies  and  forces 
of  evil  and  we  must  do  it  by  laying  down  our  jeal- 
ousies and  animosities  and  uniting  to  exalt  the  great 
constructive  message  of  religion  in  all  the  institu- 
tions that  contribute  to  the  social  life  and  ideals  of 
the  Republic.  This  is  not  special  pleading  in  behalf 
of  the  Church,  it  is  simply  calling  attention  to  things 
fundamental  and  normal  in  the  development  of  man- 
kind. Let  every  American  arise  to  put  his  best  life 
and  interest  into  each  of  these  institutions  for  duty 
toward  them  is  very  plain  and  service  in  them  is 
an  exalted  privilege.  We  exhibit  a  depressing 
narrowness,  when  we  exhaust  all  our  enthusiasm 
in  one  and  neglect  the  others.  They  each  embody  a 
high  potency  and  should  appeal  to  our  interest  and 


Three  Giants  213 

devotion.  In  the  home  we  begin  our  earthly  pil- 
grimage, in  the  Church  and  the  school,  we  are 
to  finish  preparation  for  the  life  that  now  is  as  well 
as  for  the  life  to  come.  Sweet  ministries  are  in  them 
all  and  we  ought  to  thank  God  every  day  that  we  are 
living  in  an  age  when  they  are  released  from  so 
many  enslavements  and  when  they  are  in  the  line 
to  even  higher  efficiency. 


XXI. 

SOME   THINGS  THAT   ARE   BEING   OVER- 
LOOKED IN  CURRENT  THINKING 

Every  age  exhibits  its  own  characteristic  tenden- 
cies to  superficiality  of  some  kind.  This  statement 
is  not  flattering  to  human  pride  but  it  must  be  made 
nevertheless.  Our  own  age  we  are  sure  is  keeping 
up  the  record  and  tradition  in  this  respect.  We 
have  our  share  of  uncomplimentary  skepticism  and 
moral  indifference  and  these  reflect  our  shallowness 
of  thought  on  questions  of  religion  and  character. 
Some  of  the  essential  positions  of  Christianity  are 
now  flippantly  challenged  until  we  have  in  certain 
schools  of  thought  a  battle  royal  about  the  existence 
and  nature  of  sin  itself.  It  is  so  easy  to  bow  sin  out 
of  the  world  by  declaring  that  it  has  no  existence 
and  so  daub  with  untempered  mortar  the  modern 
conscience.  This  superficial  thought  and  method 
with  sin  has  nothing  to  commend  itself  and  its  gen- 
eral acceptance  would  set  back  the  progress  of  man- 
kind instead  of  forwarding  it.  Beyond  all  the  pro- 
nouncements of  would  be  unctious  human  nature 
flatterers,  stands  the  historical  background  which 
casts  the  doubtful  mark  upon  all  they  are  now  giv- 
ing to  a  world  which  knows  too  well  the  sorrowful 
record  made  by  its  own  sinning.  Through  all  the 
centuries  the  sin  of  the  human  heart  has  been  a  rag- 
ing cancer.  Men  and  women  and  children  brought 


Things  Overlooked  in  Current  Thinking       215 

up  under  good  auspices  are  forever  going  out  to 
poison  society  and  violate  confidence  in  the  integ- 
rity of  human  nature.    We  wish  it  were  not  so,  but 
the  slimy  trail  from  human  sinning  is  everywhere. 
True,  many  who  destroy  others  and  certainly  them- 
selves, have  not  been  well  brought  up,  but  even  this 
fact  does  not  relieve  the  situation.    The  sin  of  the 
human  heart  is  deeper  than  training  and  environ- 
ment, and  either  good  or  bad  example.    If  you  want 
to  know  how  to  get  something  of  an  estimate  of  its 
depth  go  look  at  the  cross  and  the  immaculate  sac- 
rifice offered  thereon  and  ponder  well.  No  theory 
has  ever  made  human  sinning  appear  reasonable  for 
it  always  and  everywhere  violates  all  intelligence  as 
well  as  all  goodness.     In  unmistakable  terms  the 
Bible  declares  that  God  does  take  cognizance  of  sin 
in  the  human  nature  and  that  he  does  not  deal  with 
it  as  though  it  were  a  myth.     The  holy  scriptures 
hold  frankly  that  the  nature  of  man  has  in  it  the  ele- 
ment of  moral  depravity.     Any  theory  of  life  that 
proposes  to  omit  the  doctrine  of  positive  evil  in  the 
human  heart  and  its  fearful  power  to  wreck  life  and 
happiness    must    invariably    be    disappointing   and 
dangerous.     It  would  appear  reasonable  that  after 
the  record  of  the  centuries  all  on  one  side  of  the 
proposition    that    men   would   cease   crying   peace, 
peace,  when  there  is  no  peace  save  by  a  genuine  rec- 
ognition of  sin  and  the  acceptance  of  God's  method 
of  dealing  with  it.    Touching  this  element  of  evil  in 
human  nature,  nothing  but  a  radical  statement  can 
be  justified  or  warranted.    Terminology  may  change 


216  Torches  Aloft 

as  to  the  fact  but  the  fact  is  not  thereby  changed. 
Our  age  is  superficial  in  its  thinking  as  to  sin.  It 
is  lacking  in  pungent  individual  conviction  of  indi- 
vidual sin.  The  seriousness  of  sin  is  deliberately 
minimized.  Men  do  not  like  the  fearful  individual 
and  social  results  of  sin  any  more  than  in  former 
generations.  They  would  especially  be  pleased  if 
they  could  sin  freely  without  being  compelled  to 
meet  the  consequences  of  their  sin.  They  whine 
and  bellow  when  caught  in  the  act  of  evil  doing  not 
at  all  because  they  are  ready  to  estimate  sin  in  its 
real  character,  but  because  the  result  is  their  shame 
and  disgrace.  If  such  a  moral  nature  does  not  call 
for  radical  treatment  then  pray  tell  us  what  does. 
We  submit  that  a  desire  to  continue  in  sin  until 
forced  to  abandon  it  by  its  awful  results  is  the  most 
unquestionable  proof  of  human  depravity.  If  the 
nature  of  man  was  not  essentially  evil  he  would  set 
himself  against  the  sin  itself,  but  instead,  men  are 
fond  of  sinful  indulgences  and  the  cry  and  the  moan 
are  postponed  until  the  results  of  their  evil  ways  are 
visited  upon  them.  A  character  is  essentially  de- 
fective which  has  little  or  no  concern  for  its  sin 
until  punishment  has  been  visited  and  doom  is  at 
hand.  The  age  needs  such  a  deepening  of  its  think- 
ing and  such  an  adjustment  of  its  conscience  and 
such  a  reappraisement  of  moral  values  as  will  lead 
men  to  estimate  sin  according  to  its  real  quality.  For 
various  and  obvious  reasons  offenses  against  the 
laws  of  God  and  social  welfare  in  this  age  are  more 
serious  than  ever. 


Things  Overlooked  in  Current  Thinking       217 

The  doctrine  that  a  man's  evil  nature  may  be 
wholly  attributed  to  his  environment  is  of  course 
anti-Christian.  To  apologize  for  one's  vileness  by 
the  fact  that  temptation  was  placed  before  him,  and 
therefore  yielding  to  the  evil  is  in  good  part  justi- 
fied, is  vicious  in  the  extreme.  Men  need  such  a 
moral  sense  as  will  compel  them  to  appreciate  the 
fact  that  moral  law  is  a  unit  and  that  its  violation 
under  any  circumstances  is  an  assault  on  moral 
order.  That  man's  wrong  doing  is  to  be  either  ex- 
plained or  vindicated  by  the  fact  of  temptation  and 
bad  environment  is  historically  untenable,  for  men 
and  women  have  grown  up  into  purity  of  character 
in  spite  of  bad  surroundings  and  persistent  tempta- 
tions. Men  and  women  have  developed  into  im- 
moral monsters  in  immediate  contact  with  good  en- 
vironments and  a  moral  appeal  which  always  be- 
sought them  to  a  better  life.  Environment  is  not  an 
all-determinating  quantity.  There  are  people  here  in 
our  favored  America  who  have  been  instructed  in 
keeping  with  high  standards  of  morality  who  never- 
theless exhibit  persistent  selfishness,  offensive  ex- 
travagance, coarse  immorality,  and  all  manner  of 
sinful  indulgence.  Let  us  look  into  an  economic  ap- 
plication of  this  anti-Christian  doctrine  of  the  all 
sufficiency  of  a  comfortable  environment.  There  is 
extant  an  almost  universal  demand  here  in  America 
tor  property.  We  all  want  more  money  and  we 
think  we  have  a  right  to  have  it.  This  demand  for 
reasonable  accumulations  of  property  and  a  finan- 
cial competence  is  in  proper  relation  a  rational  de- 


218  Torches  Aloft 

mand.  We  wonder,  however,  if  the  people  who  are 
insistent  in  this  respect  are  all  appropriately  con- 
scious of  the  fact  that  material  prosperity  alone  is 
powerless  to  produce  ideal  character  and  free  hu- 
man nature  from  its  sin.  Americans  should  insist 
on  the  social  wrong  of  the  abnormal  individual  for- 
tune and  on  the  universalizing  of  our  great  wealth 
as  nearly  as  may  be,  but  our  civilization  will  rot 
and  the  nation  perish  unless  we  recognize  the  sin  of 
our  hearts  and  flee  to  religious  genuineness.  We 
need  Christ  in  the  absolute  emancipations  of  his 
wonderful  grace  and  our  cry  for  him  should  be  the 
most  insistent  of  all  our  cries.  We  are  forging  ahead 
in  our  industrial  progress  and  growing  proud  of  our 
commercial  supremacy,  but  we  need  to  get  down 
before  God  in  the  spirit  of  a  national  supplication 
for  divine  mercy  and  spiritual  salvation. 

Sin  is  lawlessness  in  the  presence  of  the  divine 
law  for  human  character  and  conduct.  It  is  a  vio- 
lent assault  upon  the  white  throne  of  divine  justice 
and  installs  the  will  of  man  in  the  place  of  the  good 
and  perfect  will  of  God.  Sometimes  it  finds  expres- 
sion in  an  election  when  a  misguided  people  abuse 
the  franchise  by  voting  against  the  right  principle 
and  thereby  set  up  the  wrong  one.  Majorities  do 
not  always  represent  righteousness.  God  has  re- 
vealed to  his  own  creature  man,  a  moral  standard, 
and  our  safety  and  wisdom  are  in  keeping  it  invio- 
late. The  Word  of  God  is  a  perfect  instrument  for 
social  welfare  and  progress.  The  assault  of  the  di- 
vine will  by  the  depraved  human  will  is  the  real 


Things  Overlooked  in  Current  Thinking       219 

origin  of  our  bad  environment  to-day.  Sin  creates 
every  sort  of  vicious  relativity.  Every  good  that  is 
known  to  us  mortals  can  be  turned  into  a  curse  by 
man's  perfidy.  This  applies  to  marriage,  family 
life,  money,  and  property,  prosperity  and  education. 
This  human  lawlessness  in  the  realm  of  morals  is 
responsible  for  the  world's  sorrow  and  shame.  Man- 
kind cannot  escape  this  grave  responsibility.  It 
cannot  be  put  upon  the  All  Father,  for  he  has  pro- 
vided for  the  elimination  of  this  evil  from  the  indi- 
vidual and  from  the  social  order.  God  is  not  the 
author  of  confusion  and  certainly  not  of  the  con- 
fusion which  arises  from  human  sinning. 

Much  of  our  current  thinking  is  overlooking  the 
method  of  Christ  with  sin.  He  provides  for  its  elim- 
ination and  for  a  new  creation  into  the  moral  like- 
ness of  God.  He  offers  the  kingdom  of  renewed 
moral  being  and  assures  us  that  the  new  heredity 
is  both  available  and  potent.  Individual  spiritual 
conversion  is  called  for  by  all  that  has  gone  before 
and  that  involves  penitence  by  which  one  changes 
his  point  of  view  as  to  sin  and  relates  himself  ap- 
propriately to  the  powerful  ministries  of  grace  and 
salvation.  "If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new 
creature."  "Except  a  man  be  born  from  above  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  "That  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of 
the  spirit  is  spirit."  The  chief  glory  of  God  is  his 
moral  attributes,  and  conversion  is  the  whole  process 
of  man's  response  to  God's  chiefest  glory.  The 
empowering  of  human  personality  to  make  this  re- 


220  Torches  Aloft 

sponse  is  salvation  and  nothing  else  is  entitled  to 
such  an  exalted  designation.  Salvation  is  a  new 
creation  and  a  continuous  process.  The  impotence 
of  sin  is  certainly  non-ideal  for  a  human  being,  while 
choice  and  power  for  right  doing  is  as  certainly 
ideal.  Christian  conversion  transfers  one  from  the 
non-ideal  to  the  ideal  moral  state.  Conversion  de- 
scribes both  the  moral  crisis  and  the  process  of 
transition  to  the  new  kingdom  and  heredity  in  Jesus 
the  Christ.  It  helps  one  to  ponder  the  fact  that  con- 
version is  both  a  crisis  and  a  process.  The  crisis  must 
come  because  of  our  sinful  nature,  and  the  proc- 
ess must  continue  because  life  is  a  probation  and 
searching  ideals  call  for  realization.  A  moral  crisis 
growing  out  of  our  penitence  and  choice  of  the 
life  of  obedience  to  Christ  has  the  advantage  of  a 
registration  in  consciousness  and  memory  so  that 
forever  the  experience  of  conversion  remains  irre- 
futable and  assuring.  Conversion  and  sanctifica- 
tion,  which  are  in  many  respects  interchangable 
terms,  work  the  harmony  of  moral  qualities  be- 
tween man  and  God.  Correspondence  in  moral 
character  between  man  and  God  is  really  the  moral 
problem  in  all  ages.  Every  human  being  is  under 
responsibility  to  possess  in  his  measure  the  moral 
qualities  that  are  in  God  for  every  one  may  know 
and  test  the  power  of  divine  salvation.  In  seeking 
salvation  we  must  be  alert  to  the  peril  of  slavery  to 
externals  such  as  sacraments  and  other  conventional 
expressions  of  Christian  faith  and  experience. 
Christ  is  salvation  and  he  stands  for  all  the  conver- 


Things  Overlooked  in  Current  Thinking       221 

sion  processes.  "Nothing  in  my  hand  I  bring,  sim- 
ply to  thy  cross  I  cling."  Something  more  is  in- 
volved than  an  heroic  effort  to  enforce  a  fine  list  of 
good  deeds.  This  is  wholly  worthy  but  it  is  not  sal- 
vation. Salvation  goes  deeper  far  for  it  acts  in  the 
realm  of  the  deepest  consciousness  of  the  soul.  The 
radical  demand  is  for  renewed  moral  being  and 
nothing  else  will  avail.  It  is  a  fatal  mistake  to  place 
the  result  of  salvation  in  the  place  of  the  funda- 
mental life  which  installs  it.  We  must  not  mistake 
a  part  for  the  whole.  What  we  shall  be  able  to  do 
is  forever  dependent  upon  what  we  are.  Conversion 
is  more  than  a  few  improvements  in  conduct.  It  is 
a  change  in  essential  moral  nature  and  essence  and 
constitution.  It  lies  back  of  all  outward  moral  ac- 
tivities. We  need  a  tremendous  emphasis  just  now 
on  this  change  in  the  inner  self.  There  is  such  a 
thing  as  the  touch  of  God  immediately  on  human 
personality  and  character.  Then  comes  the  exter- 
nal manifestations  of  spontaneous  life  and  they  are 
inevitable. 

Goodness  in  the  abstract  out  of  which  we 
may  show  forth  goodness  in  the  concrete  is  the 
fundamental  character  and  life  we  all  need  and  the 
process  that  makes  this  possible  is  called  salvation 
and  it  comes  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  With  mod- 
ern thinking  the  distinction  between  character  and 
conduct  has  almost  been  lost  and  this  is  great  weak- 
ness. Moral  character  by  inward  personal  right- 
eousness is  the  only  moral  efficiency.  The  kingdom 
of  moral  recovery  must  be  established  within.  Con- 


222  Torches  Aloft 

version  is  not  complete  until  the  mixed  moral  quali- 
ties are  displaced  by  moral  unity  and  that  comes 
by  faith  in  a  Divine  Person  who  has  the  power  of 
impartation.  For  our  moral  stability  we  must  reach 
this  unity  in  our  moral  quality  and  substance.  We 
need  to  be  made  inwardly  good.  Mere  abstinence 
from  wrong  is  negative  and  colorless  virtue.  The 
great  positive  virtues  of  the  Christian  character  are 
impatient  for  incarnation  and  they  are  in  Christ  po- 
tentially and  for  our  use  by  his  impartation.  Con- 
version and  salvation  impel  us  to  the  point  of  the 
positive  reconstruction  of  the  inner  man.  The  con- 
tent of  our  spirits  must  come  to  be  a  perennial 
fountain  of  holiness  and  from  such  a  source,  if  it  be 
kept  uncontaminated,  will  flow  constantly  the  holy 
thought  and  deed.  Salvation  anticipates  and  pro- 
vides for  such  a  confirmed  state  of  goodness  as  that 
evil  may  not  pass  unchallenged  into  our  volitions. 
The  whole  being  essentially  good  and  the  grip  of 
goodness  affording  motive  power  for  daily  life  and 
stress.  In  some  of  our  actions  we  may  fail  of  the 
proper  moral  control,  but  the  life  bent  and  flow  is 
toward  God  and  his  holy  law.  Salvation  establishes 
within  a  permanent  living  quality  which  is  well  ex- 
pressed in  the  term  goodness.  It  is  such  goodness 
as  is  the  result  of  a  mighty  inward  force  and  inspi- 
ration rather  than  result  of  mechanical  struggle 
with  ethical  ideals.  The  divine  wisdom  is  embodied 
in  the  statement,  "He  came  to  put  away  sin  by  the 
sacrifice  of  himself."  This  sacrifice  is  potent  for  our 
salvation. 


Things  Overlooked  in  Current  Thinking       223 

Christianity  stands  emphatically  for  social  im- 
provement and  God's  method  of  promoting  it  is  by 
dealing  directly  with  sin  both  in  the  individual  and 
in  society.  The  emphasis  just  now  as  to  sin  is  on 
social  sin  rather  than  the  individual,  and  this  is 
because  the  next  great  convictions  for  sin  are  to  be 
convictions  for  the  sins  that  society  indulges  and 
shelters.  Not  to  be  sure  directly  or  actively  but  by 
sufferance  and  the  lack  of  public  action  in  behalf  of 
social  and  industrial  justice.  It  follows  that  the 
government  as  an  agency  of  mighty  influence  either 
for  good  or  evil  is  being  charged  with  a  new  respon- 
sibility in  allowing  or  directly  ordering  policies  and 
principles  that  make  for  righteousness  and  social 
uplift.  Social  and  individual  sin  is  the  great  foe  to 
human  happiness  and  progress.  Therefore,  God  is 
the  enemy  of  these  forever.  He  has  willed  for  hu- 
man happiness  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave  and  be- 
yond. As  an  all  wise  Father  he  understands  the 
laws  by  which  alone  this  happiness  and  welfare  are 
to  be  had.  Opposed  to  all  this  gracious  gospel  is 
the  mystery  of  human  perversity.  No  movement 
of  the  day  that  is  not  essentially  Christian  can  suc- 
ceed and  we  are  slowly  learning  the  fact  that  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  Christian  civilization  are  not  perma- 
nently possible  without  religious  genuineness  and 
devotion.  America  will  pay  for  the  prevalence  of 
indifference  to  religion  and  pay  dearly.  We  need 
a  nation-wide  revival  of  spiritual  interest  which 
should  start  in  confession  of  sin  by  individuals  and 
by  society.  The  wrongs  condoned  by  society  are  as 


224  Torches  Aloft 

damning  as  those  allowed  by  the  individual.  As  in- 
dividuals we  cannot  escape  our  larger  responsibility 
and  obligation.  We  are  parts  in  a  great  whole 
which  can  arise  and  smite  the  doers  of  evil  until 
they  abandon  their  programs  of  evil  if  it  will.  So- 
ciety acting  as  a  unit  can  do  what  no  individual  can 
possibly  do.  Action  against  such  oppression  as  child 
labor  in  Georgia  and  other  States  is  our  bounden 
duty  and  this  evil  is  but  one  of  many  that  must  be 
given  the  knockout  blow. 


XXII. 

THE  VIRTUES  OF  CONVERTED  PEOPLE 

The  age  is  in  the  mood  of  standardizing  the  vir- 
tues of  good  character.  The  virtues  that  are  spe- 
cially noteworthy  in  Christianity  are  worthy  of  spe- 
cific mention  and  study.  Christianity  is  not  only  a 
matter  of  theological  conception  and  faith,  but  a 
matter  of  concrete  virtues  which  give  demonstra- 
tion of  vitality  and  faith.  We  put  at  the  head  of  this 
list  the  virtue  of  earnestness,  for  our  race  has  ad- 
vanced in  its  evolution  to  the  point  where  the  ab- 
sence of  this  virtue  is  immediately  rebuked.  Heart- 
iness, genuineness  and  intensity  are  qualities  of  su- 
perior worth.  Religious  earnestness  often  over- 
comes prejudice  and  wins  by  its  inherent  goodness. 
It  prompts  respect  everywhere  and  only  loses  its 
power  when  it  ceases  to  be  earnestness  and  becomes 
fanaticism. 

Another  virtue  which  converted  people  are  ex- 
pected to  possess  is  that  of  enthusiasm.  It  is  kindred 
to  the  virtue  of  earnestness  noted  above,  and  yet  is 
sufficiently  distinct  to  justify  special  study  and  em- 
phasis. Some  people  imagine  that  Christians  are 
incapable  of  but  a  single  enthusiasm,  that  of  course, 
gathering  about  their  religious  ideals  and  experien- 
ces directly.  We  beg  to  say,  however,  that  the 
Christian  virtues  are  comprehensive  and  all  embrac- 


226  Torches  Aloft 

ing,  and  therefore  converted  people  are  called  upon 
to  exhibit  broad-range  enthusiasms.  Life  in  its  cat- 
alogue of  achievements  embraces  a  long  list  of  sub- 
jects, enterprises  and  causes  that  carry  a  very  legit- 
imate appeal  to  every  intelligent  person.  Converted 
people  are  called  upon  to  evidence  interest  in  what 
are  called  secular  matters  and  concerns.  Christian 
people  are  to  lead  in  all  matters  of  social  interest, 
development,  and  reform;  indeed,  there  is  not  a 
single  phase  of  life  and  social  order  that  does  not 
have  a  legitimate  claim  on  Christian  character. 
Christians  are  to  lead  in  public  improvements  and 
movements  for  public  welfare.  When  Christians 
evidence  narrow  enthusiasm,  by  so  much  do  they 
reveal  that  their  approach  to,  and  identification  with, 
their  religion  is  superficial  and  inadequate.  What- 
ever good  thing  ought  to  be  done  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, the  city,  the  nation  or  the  world,  has  a  claim 
on  our  interest  and  devotion  as  the  followers  of  the 
Christ  of  Nazareth, 

Another  virtue  to  be  emulated  and  magnified  is 
that  of  disinterestedness.  This  virtue  is  confessedly 
difficult.  Selfishness  is  so  thoroughly  a  part  of  hu- 
man nature,  that  the  prescribed  processes  of  Chris- 
tianity alone  can  deliver  us  from  this  evil.  In  our 
associations  with  one  another  we  rarely  count  on  dis- 
interestedness as  a  quality  in  our  fellow  men.  Un- 
fortunately for  society  we  have  come  to  expect  that 
those  with  whom  we  deal  in  daily  life  will  bear 
watching  lest  we  be  worsted  by  their  lack  of  this 
high  virtue.  We  ought,  however,  to  remember  that 


The  Virtues  of  Converted  People  227 

if  one  expects  his  business  contact  with  others  to 
reveal  this  virtue  in  them,  it  becomes  his  duty  to 
evidence  it  in  his  own  transactions  and  attitude. 
This  principle  of  disinterestedness  is  the  most  con- 
structive law  in  the  world.  Civilization  has  not 
found  this  out  as  yet  because  we  are,  after  all,  not 
so  far  removed  from  some  of  the  streaks  of  barbar- 
ism that  have  characterized  our  ancestors.  Because 
this  virtue  is  so  rare,  and  because  we  so  readily  re- 
lease ourselves  from  the  obligation  to  exhibit  it  in 
our  contact  with  others,  we  have  contentions  in  so- 
ciety to-day  that  are  serious  and  distracting.  Our 
municipalities  must  deal  with  great  corporations, 
and  the  corporations  must  deal  with  the  municipali- 
ties and  the  public.  The  business  game  in  either 
case  seems  to  be  to  secure  undue  advantage  in 
whichever  direction  our  individual  interests  lie.  A 
lack  of  disinterestedness  brings  on  contention,  costly 
litigation,  and  often  financial  ruin.  In  the  long  run 
selfishness  does  not  pay,  for  even  cold-blooded  busi- 
ness at  last  turns  on  and  rends  those  who  are 
guilty  of  this  evil. 

Another  virtue  of  the  Christian  character  is  that 
of  activity.  Mankind  bears  the  unmistakable  evi- 
dence of  design  for  a  busy  life.  True,  we  have  to 
take  time  to  eat  and  sleep,  but  the  major  joy  of  life 
comes  from  our  periods  of  activity.  We  are  fond  of 
action  even  to  the  straining  point,  and  often  nothing 
but  a  break  in  strength  and  nervous  energy  brings 
us  to  a  halt  and  moderation.  Activity  is  a  Christian 
virtue  and  the  use  of  that  virtue  demands  that  it 


228  Torches  Aloft 

shall  be  sustained  and  well  directed.  Fuss  and  fury 
do  not  count,  and  being  busy  passes  for  naught  un- 
less we  have  sufficient  mental  and  moral  perception 
to  drive  our  activities  in  praiseworthy  directions.  All 
great  causes  need  to  be  backed  up  by  persistent  and 
steady  support.  Moral  reform  so  desirable,  political 
reform,  surely  necessary,  industrial  justice,  which  is 
more  and  more  a  compulsion  in  modern  life,  all  are 
impossible  unless  high-minded  people  have  such  an 
ability  for  perseverance  in  well  doing  as  will  secure 
the  fruitage  which  everybody  must  desire.  A  vast 
deal  of  energy  in  society  to-day  is  worse  than  wasted 
because  it  is  not  expended  in  proper  directions  and 
has  no  reference  to  constructive  goals.  Christianity, 
therefore,  demonstrates  its  divine  right  to  our  con- 
secration and  faith,  in  that  it  not  only  bids  us  be 
busy,  but  it  bids  us  be  persistently  busy  for  the 
things  that  promote  social  advancement  and  that 
help  mankind.  While  Christianity  exacts  that  we 
shall  be  diligent  in  business  and  fervent  in  spirit 
serving  the  Lord,  it  also  provides  for  a  sane  propor- 
tion of  innocent  relaxation  in  the  schedule  of  life. 
This  side  of  Christian  character  is  not  always  mag- 
nified as  it  should  be  and  some  people  who  are  other- 
wise very  good  do  not  appreciate  the  smile  and  the 
diversion  as  they  really  should.  The  divine  order  is 
that  we  should  be  neither  silly  nor  unduly  sedate. 

Another  principle  worthy  of  all  exaltation  is  that 
of  service.  The  Christian  view  is  that  service  is  a 
privilege  in  the  development  of  one's  life  and  that  it 
is  to  be  prized  and  magnified  because  it  is  the  chan- 


The  Virtues  of  Converted  People  229 

nel  through  which  high-grade  personality  may  pro- 
ject blessing  and  comfort  upon  fellow  creatures. 
Service  is  of  three  grades,  namely,  that  which  is 
passable;  that  which  is  skilled  and  that  which  is 
expert.  The  demand  of  Christianity  is  that  every 
converted  person  shall  set  his  face  deliberately  in  the 
direction  of  ability  for  expert  service  to  his  fellow 
man.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  service,  as  we  ordinarily 
think  of  it,  is  not  first  of  all  given  the  social  signifi- 
cance. That  is  to  say  that  when  we  give  ourselves 
to  any  sort  of  labor  or  activity,  we  are  so  likely  to 
forget  that  our  service  is  not  just  for  the  considera- 
tion of  wage  or  wealth,  but  that  it  is  rendered  be- 
cause we  have  a  passion  for  serving  our  fellows  and 
building  up  society.  Surely  no  age  was  more  ap- 
pealing as  to  the  doors  that  open  everywhere  for  so- 
cial service.  Genuine  social  service  is  impossible 
without  genuine  Christian  character.  Let  us  never 
forget  that  this  is  the  determining  element  as  to  the 
outflow  from  a  human  career.  As  long  as  health 
is  ours  and  life  endures  let  us  prize  our  privilege  of 
service  and  in  Jesus'  name  give  ourselves  to  it  with 
absolute  concern. 

When  converted  people  in  their  thinking  set  about 
them  as  objectives  all  of  these  virtues  above  men- 
tioned, they  will  invariably  find  that  they  need  a 
common  bond  to  hold  them  in  proper  relation  and 
unity.  The  love  of  Christ  enthroned  in  the  human 
heart  is  that  bond  of  perfectness.  How  true  it  is  that 
love  unifies,  so  that  virtues  that  were  struggling  and 
evanescent,  concentrate  into  fine  integrals  of  power 


230  Torches  Aloft 

and  service.  Human  personality  dare  not  be  dif- 
fusive. The  law  of  concentration  demands  that 
every  one  of  us  shall  bring  life  into  harmony  for  the 
sake  of  strength.  Until  the  love  of  God  rules  in  a 
human  soul  no  coherence  in  the  virtue  demonstra- 
tions are  possible.  People  who  live  apart  from  the 
conscious  love  of  God  as  a  unifying  power  in  their 
lives  have  flashes  of  goodness.  We  cannot  imagine 
a  soul  so  base  but  that  some  of  the  fluttering  de- 
sires for  goodness  should  at  least  occasionally  mani- 
fest themselves,  but  oh,  how  far  short  of  power 
such  as  God  wishes  for  us  all  is  this  unsatisfactory 
state.  Like  a  great  girdle,  divine  love  in  the  soul 
completes  the  great  virtues  required  in  a  Christian 
character  until  they  are  all  strong  and  enduring. 
Then  let  us  be  sure  not  to  miss  the  important  in- 
structions that  divine  love  is  really  the  agent  and 
force  which  alone  can  put  into  the  highest  forms  of 
power  all  the  desirable  human  virtues.  Love  truly 
perfects  human  character  in  the  legitimate  sense  of 
that  splendid  term.  Until  this  holy  love  reigns  in  the 
heart  all  of  our  virtues  are  fractional  and  incom- 
plete. Fractions  make  whole  numbers,  but  if  in  our 
struggle  for  high  character  we  never  get  beyond 
the  feeble  fractions  in  the  Christian  virtues,  we 
shall  be  unprofitable  in  the  social  processes.  This 
love  is  required  to  unify  the  otherwise  contending 
social  interests  of  society.  It  alone  can  correct  the 
undue  self-interest  and  compel  us  all  to  respect  the 
principle  of  the  "square  deal."  Individuals  often, 
apparently  at  least,  become  antagonists  because 


The  Virtues  of  Converted  People  231 

they  have  hostile  views  and  divergent  opinions. 
These  divergent  opinions  must  be  allowed  for  in  all 
normal  personalities,  but  they  dare  not  have  their 
way,  they  must  yield  to  reason,  to  fuller  information 
and  to  moral  law.  But  these  hostilities  are  unyield- 
ing until  we  have  enthroned  the  principle  of  love  for 
human  welfare  as  the  supreme  law  of  our  lives. 
Love  corrects  and  modifies  our  aloofness  and  brings 
the  contending  factions  of  society  into  brotherhood 
and  the  community  interest.  It  becomes  the  duty 
of  every  intelligent  man  or  woman  to  challenge 
himself  as  to  the  enthronement  of  this  divine  love, 
for  as  a  virtue,  it  must  be  personal  and  it  needs  to 
be  universal. 

It  is  very  important  that  we  consider  the  weak- 
nesses that  are  encouraged  to  rise  up  and  smite  us 
and  dominate  us  when  these  virtues  are  absent.  A 
most  serious  weakness  is  that  of  dealing  in  a  mis- 
taken and  prejudicial  way  with  regard  to  these  char- 
acter challenges  with  ourselves.  Our  true  moral 
quality  is  revealed  by  our  failure  or  success  in  deal- 
ing unsparingly  with  ourselves  in  the  light  of  the 
demand  for  the  incarnation  of  these  living  virtues 
within  us.  Self-analysis  is  always  highly  important. 
It  is  not  an  agreeable  task  because  it  crosses  our 
egotism  and  our  self-complacency.  When  these 
great  Christian  virtues  are  lacking,  our  egotism  be- 
comes rampant,  and  our  self-complacency  ruinous. 
Unsparing  moral  introspection  is  the  requisite  of 
satisfactory  character  growth.  If  these  virtues  are 
absent,  we  are  sure  to  omit  adequate  effort  for  prac- 


232  Torches  Aloft 

tical  and  persistent  self-culture.  God  deals  with  us 
in  the  fundamental  problem  of  character  by  for- 
giving us  our  sins  as  we  repent  of  them,  and  install- 
ing the  new  life  of  grace  and  salvation  within  the 
soul.  In  reaching  this  gracious  experience,  there 
conies  an  end  to  human  ability  and  power.  There 
comes  a  time  when  the  soul  implicitly  waits  upon 
God  for  the  reception  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  expe- 
rience of  sonship,  but  when  all  this  has  come  into 
the  human  consciousness,  the  virtues  of  the  Chris- 
tian character  immediately  make  their  demand  for 
our  fidelity  to  approved  methods  of  self-develop- 
ment and  education.  Some  good  and  godly  people 
make  a  pitiable  failure  at  this  point.  Salvation  and 
grace  are  supernatural  and  fundamental,  but  culture 
is  the  prescription  of  the  Christian  virtues  by  which 
personality  is  to  become  influential  for  good. 

Another  evil  that  thrives  when  these  gracious 
virtues  are  absent,  is  that  of  distempered  self-love. 
Many  a  man  leaves  an  unhallowed  influence  wher- 
ever he  goes  because  he  loves  himself  too  well.  This 
undue  and  poisonous  self-love  is  really  so  serious 
and  pernicious  that  it  deserves  to  be  characterized 
as  a  distemper  of  the  mind.  It  shows  itself  in  the 
intemperate  greediness  for  one's  own  indulgence 
and  pleasure.  It  develops  in  a  man  an  inordinate 
passion  for  wealth  and  gain,  thus  destroying  the  fine 
and  fit  adjustment  of  the  mind  for  rational  and  tem- 
perate economic  achievement.  Christianity  places 
no  premium  upon  a  lack  of  thrift,  or  industry,  or 
reasonable  accumulation.  It  does  lay  bare  unspar- 


The  Virtues  of  Converted  People  233 

ingly  the  vicious  character  of  covetousness  and 
the  danger  of  over  devotion  to  merely  money  mak- 
ing. 

Another  noxious  growth  which  is  sure  to  flourish 
in  the  absence  of  the  sovereign  Christian  virtues,  is 
a  misapprehension  as  to  the  nature  and  dignity  of 
self-denial.  Many  well-disposed  people,  as  we  fear, 
look  upon  the  negative  side  of  the  law  of  Christian 
denial  only.  Rest  assured  that  no  act  of  life  or 
temper  of  the  mind  is  treated  by  a  divine  interdic- 
tion except  for  the  sake  of  bringing  personality  to 
affirmative  virtues  and  constructive  power.  Chris- 
tianity does  not  exhaust  itself  in  a  series  of  "Thou 
shalt  not's."  They  have  their  place  in  our  moral 
development,  but  we  must  always  be  keenly  alive  to 
the  fact  that  the  "Thou  shalt's"  are  dominant  in  the 
Christian  life.  In  other  words  God  has  in  view  the 
exhibition  of  the  positive  virtues  all  the  time.  Some 
people  imagine  that  the  self-denial  imposed  by 
Christianity  is  such  a  tremendous  sacrifice,  and  such 
a  keenly  felt  foregoing  of  the  things  one  would  like 
to  do,  and  see,  and  have,  and  feel,  as  to  of  necessity 
cause  the  Christian  to  be  long-faced  and  sorrowful. 
This  is  a  radical  error  in  human  thinking,  and  every 
mind  ought  to  rid  itself  of  such  a  travesty  on  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  Self-denial,  as  Christ  rep- 
resents it,  has  supreme  dignity,  beauty,  and  power. 
It  opens  the  highway  to  character  success  and  the 
most  splendid  achievements  known  to  mankind. 
Christ  did  deny  himself  of  evil,  but  he  also 
exhibited  the  very  power  of  God  and  the 


234  Torches  Aloft 

deathless  world  so  that  to  all  eternity  his 
kingly  character  and  sovereignty  will  move  man- 
kind to  wonder,  love,  and  awe.  Real  self-denial 
leads  to  this  worthy  sovereignty.  Our  Lord  was  able 
to  say  with  the  whole  earthly  order  at  his  feet,  "I 
have  overcome  the  world."  He  was  able  to  say  that 
to  the  end  of  time  his  kingdom,  based  on  the  unchal- 
lenged splendor  and  power  of  his  character,  should 
be  the  embodiment  of  the  most  constructive  force 
known  to  the  world  and  for  the  restoration  of  a  lost 
race  to  the  moral  likeness  of  God.  The  kind  of  de- 
nial which  our  Lord  exalts,  and  which  he  himself 
exemplified,  enabled  him  to  say  at  the  threshold  of 
our  discipleship,  "He  that  loseth  his  life  for  my  sake 
shall  find  it."  This  was  but  another  way  of  saying 
that  any  human  who  should  release  his  life  into  the 
love,  power  and  program  of  Jesus  Christ  should  find 
it  marvelously  enriched,  beautified,  and  hallowed, 
until  the  very  glory  of  God  should  shine  in  it 
through  all  its  pilgrim  way,  while  at  the  last  it 
should  be  immortalized  with  God  in  the  heaven  our 
Savior  has  gone  to  prepare.  By  so  much  as  any  hu- 
man life  is  poured  into  Christ's  plan  and  service, 
it  is  made  richer  and  better  and  more  resplendent. 
Christian  self-denial  is  really  man's  most  significant 
right  and  privilege  .  It  is  a  marvel  that  mankind  has 
the  honor  and  exultation  of  such  a  unique  opportu- 
nity. 

Man  is  a  creature  of  moods.  Great  men  and  great 
women  have  afforded  in  their  experiences  marvelous 
contrasts  as  to  tempers  of  mind  and  disposition. 


The  Virtues  of  Converted  People  235 

Sunny  moods  are  not  always  abiding  with  us  poor 
mortals.  The  shadow  and  the  scowl  and  the 
grouch  are  often  at  least,  transient  visitors  with  us. 
At  times  our  moods  make  us  the  kindred  of  the  an- 
gels, while  at  other  times  they  suggest  relationship 
to  spirits  that  are  fallen  and  shorn  of  their  glory. 
The  human  career  is  the  registration  in  a  more  or 
less  concrete  way  of  our  mental  moods,  so  many  of 
which  are  strangers  to  one  another,  and  reveal  the 
fact  that  we  have  not  discovered  the  way  by  which 
our  moods  can  be  reasonably  uniform  and  elevat- 
ing. We  so  often  find  ourselves  inhabiting  heights 
which  for  some  reason  we  fail  to  hold.  Christ,  if 
he  be  enthroned,  and  if  we  pay  the  price  of  constant 
communion  with  him,  will  deliver  us  from  the  weak- 
ness of  the  moods  that  mar.  Some  of  our  moods 
make  such  uncanny  impressions  upon  those  we  love 
most  and  whose  friendship  is  our  chiefest  delight. 
The  soul  of  changing,  flitting  and  contradictory 
moods,  needs  Christ  and  the  unification  for  which 
he  stands.  When  these  virtues  that  he  would  have 
embodied  in  all  his  dear  children  are  absent,  we  al- 
ways show  a  lack  of  self-control  under  the  testing 
experiences  of  life.  Oh,  Christ,  thou  who  dost  stand 
at  the  threshold  of  our  hearts  and  lives  to  bid  us 
always  live  in  the  moods  that  speak  of  thee,  help  us 
now  to  hear  thine  own  voice  and  be  at  peace  in  thee. 
The  question  presses  at  this  stage  of  our  medita- 
tion, as  to  how  these  virtues  of  converted  people 
may  be  guaranteed.  There  are  a  few  simple  rules 
and  laws  of  life  which  happily  govern  here.  We 


236  Torches  Aloft 

need  not  go  on  in  our  weary  way  only  to  be  ex- 
hausted by  our  repeated  failures.  These  virtues  first 
of  all  will  come  naturally  to  us  when  we  have,  after 
suitable  penitence  for  our  sins,  reached  the  sweet 
and  assuring  state  of  union  with  Christ  our  Lord. 
When  once  this  union  is  real,  then  the  life  and  im- 
partable  personal  power  of  Christ  flows  into  the  hu- 
man personality.  This  means  infinite  enrichment 
and  the  exhibition  of  a  new  family  life  and  type. 
When  once  the  Christ  life  flows  into  the  soul,  the 
virtues  in  which  he  delights,  arise  like  beautiful 
lilies  from  appropriate  soil  and  moisture.  These 
virtues  are  impossible  without  him,  but  wherever 
he  abides  they  flourish  and  give  out  their  peren- 
nially sweet  perfume.  Another  law  that  guarantees 
the  presence  of  these  virtues  is  fidelity  to  salvation's 
doctrine.  If  we  accept  the  doctrine  of  pardon,  of 
regeneration,  of  divine  communion,  of  purity  and 
consecration,  of  a  fully  devoted  life  before  God,  and 
abide  therein,  we  shall  find  these  virtues  flourishing 
day  by  day  and  attesting  the  reality  of  our  Chris- 
tian discipleship.  We  shall  need  also  to  persevere  in 
the  highest  kind  of  fidelity  to  our  most  exalted  and 
divinely  nurtured  faith.  We  need  not  yield  to  chang- 
ing grades  of  faith.  It  is  really  possible  to  learn  the 
art  of  declaring  with  unwavering  steadfastness  and 
under  all  circumstances,  the  highest  type  of  con- 
serving faith.  It  is  our  privilege  to  so  secure  mas- 
tery over  our  doubt  and  fear,  that  the  faith  position 
cannot  be  stormed  by  any  foe  successfully.  It  is 
wholly  desirable  to  reach  this  cleft  of  the  rock  in  our 


The  Virtues  of  Converted  People  237 

experience  of  the  divine  presence.  To  have  the  high- 
est type  of  faith  we  have  ever  reached  become  the 
fixed  law  and  quality  of  our  lives  is  not  only  de- 
sirable but  wholly  practicable.  If  we  have  ever  had 
high-grade  faith  for  a  moment,  let  us  charge  our- 
selves with  the  task  of  establishing  what  was  mo- 
mentary and  sharing  the  strength  of  its  perpetual 
power.  Our  Christian  experience  has  height  and 
depth.  It  has  a  variety  of  weaknesses  and  a  paucity 
of  power  because  we  ourselves  will  have  it  so.  Ev- 
ery Christian  is  sooner  or  later  led  into  experiences 
of  peculiar  comfort  and  assurance.  The  law  of  fidel- 
ity holds  here.  Let  us  be  true  to  the  sweetest  expe- 
rience our  Lord  ever  permitted  us  to  have  or  know. 
So  the  three  principles  are,  union,  inflow,  and  fidel- 
ity. Let  us  hold  them  fast,  let  us  build  them  into 
our  very  souls,  for  in  so  doing  we  will  make  it  sure 
that  all  the  virtues  upon  which  Christ  would  smile 
when  they  have  come  to  be  ingrained  in  our  char- 
acter, shall  be  our  present  and  perpetual  possession 
and  inheritance. 

That  converted  people  are  to  be  possessed  of  this 
fine  list  of  desirable  virtues,  that  weaknesses  of  a 
distressing  sort  are  encouraged  to  grow  up  when  we 
for  any  reason  allow  ourselves  to  be  strangers  to 
these  virtues,  that  these  virtues  may  be  guaranteed 
under  a  few  simple  laws,  all  conspire  in  a  specific 
and  glorious  result.  Our  human  co-operation  with 
God  for  the  establishment  in  human  society  of  the 
order  and  power  of  his  kingdom,  will  cause  men  to 
recognize  the  glorious  potency  of  the  religion  of 


238  Torches  Aloft 

Jesus  Christ.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  a  human  life 
glorifying  God.  The  only  sure  way  of  causing  God 
to  be  glorified,  exalted,  praised,  is  to  so  project  re- 
deemed and  virtue-endowed  character  into  all  the 
processes  of  social  and  industrial  life  that  such  exhi- 
bitions of  character  shall  wring  from  men  the  con- 
fession that  religion  counts  as  a  factor  in  daily  life 
and  toil.  We  believe  thoroughly  that  the  exempli- 
fication of  the  Christian  virtues  by  us  poor  mortals 
who  have  confessed  faith  in  our  Lord  and  Savior,  is 
sure  to  bring  the  confession  that  character  of  such 
quality  must  have  origin  in  God's  holy  help  and 
grace,  and  that  salvation  is  more  than  a  sentimental 
term.  Another  result  of  the  genuine  indwelling  of 
these  virtues  will  be  that  human  personality  shall 
be  evidently  endowed  with  superhuman  influence. 
My,  how  it  humbles  us  to  consider  that  if  our  Chris- 
tianity is  genuine,  it  will  compel  our  fellow  men  to 
acknowledge  the  power  and  reality  of  the  Christian 
life.  Many  of  our  fellow  beings  of  this  age  are  skep- 
tical at  this  point.  They  tell  us  that  they  see  no  dif- 
ference in  the  conduct  and  character  of  church  peo- 
ple and  the  people  of  the  world.  That  remark  may 
be  the  remark  of  a  cynic  or  of  an  iconoclast,  but  one 
thing  is  sure,  if  these  virtues  be  in  us  and  abound, 
they  will  compel  respect  for  religion  and  stop  the 
mouths  of  the  critics.  Again,  another  result  of  these 
virtues  wrought  really  and  truly  into  human  life 
will  be  the  more  powerful  and  universal  existence 
of  the  constructive  mind.  This  is  to  say  that  the 
minds  of  men  more  and  more  will  take  on  the  atti- 


The  Virtues  of  Converted  People  239 

tude  of  interest  in  improving  the  conditions  of  life 
for  all  the  people.  No  mind  is  constructive  until  it 
has  reached  this  Christ-like  temper  and  position.  All 
our  communities,  and  indeed,  the  whole  American 
nation  are  in  need  of  this  mental  attitude  by  which 
we  shall  seek  by  all  the  processes  of  our  mighty 
industries  and  all  our  programs  of  commercial 
achievement,  to  make  life  easier,  happier,  and  more 
satisfying  for  everybody.  It  is  this  social  passion, 
this  instinct  for  man  building,  this  desire  for  family 
joys  and  comforts,  that  is  to  take  the  place  of  our 
hard-minded  and  selfish  programs.  All  hail  the  age 
of  brotherhood  and  humanized  commercialism. 


XXIII. 

SOME  FAULTS  OF  CONVERTED  PEOPLE 

The  order  to  "Move  on"  is  not  usually  taken  with 
good  grace  because  we  are  so  likely  to  be  "sot  in  our 
ways."  It  is,  nevertheless,  a  very  necessary  order 
and  it  was  given  in  ancient  time  when  a  great  leader 
said  to  a  favored  people,  "Ye  have  dwelt  long 
enough  in  this  mountain."  That  was  just  another 
way  of  saying,  "Move  on."  It  was  needed  then  and 
it  is  needed  now  no  matter  how  it  may  rasp  on  our 
feelings.  Other  creations  beside  matter  have  the 
property  of  inertia.  Good  converted  church  people 
sometimes  show  a  like  capacity  or  quality.  It  is 
never  an  agreeable  task  to  talk  of  such  besetments 
as  faults  but  the  dull  monotony  of  life  would  for- 
ever be  unbroken  if  the  facts  were  never  confronted. 
Just  to  keep  the  slack  out  of  the  life  ropes  and  stand 
taut  and  tense  so  that  the  command  to  "loose  away" 
can  be  instantly  obeyed  and  obeyed  with  perfect 
safety,  is  indeed  an  achievement  of  high  quality.  No 
matter  what  position  we  may  occupy  nor  what  sort 
of  training  and  experience  we  may  have  had,  the 
ability  to  get  right  up  alongside  of  a  new  and  trying 
situation  and  master  it,  is  absolutely  essential  to 
real  success  in  life.  Converted  though  we  have 
been,  and  church  members  though  we  are,  let  us  so- 
berly review  our  long  list  of  faults  and  fearlessly 


Some  Faults  of  Converted  People  241 

ask  for  help  in  ridding  ourselves  of  them  one  by  one. 
This  introspection  will  test  our  courage  and  quality 
in  many  ways  but  we  will  come  out  of  the  process 
with  virility  of  a  much  higher  type. 

We  all  recall  the  days  in  school  when  we  were 
drilled  in  the  conjugation  "good,"  "better,"  "best." 
In  those  happy  days  we  probably  did  not  appreci- 
ate the  fact  that  this  conjugation  embodied  the 
very  logic  of  life  and  that  we  should  all  be  put  to 
test  by  it.  If  we  stop  to  think  we  will  all  admit  that 
we  have  too  often  tarried  in  the  "good"  while  the 
"better"  and  the  "best"  were  beseeching  us  to  look 
their  way. 

In  the  achievements  of  a  lifetime  it  is  often  no 
inconsiderable  distance  between  the  "good"  and  the 
"best,"  and  how  to  compass  that  distance  in  so  brief 
a  span  as  the  earth  life  affords  is  indeed  a  problem. 
Who  can  measure  the  value  of  a  constant  compul- 
sion toward  the  "best."  There  are  subtle  tempta- 
tions to  be  satisfied  this  side  of  such  achievement 
and  one  is  seriously  at  fault  when  he  yields  to  these 
temptations.  This  fault  hinders  seriously  in  the 
work  of  the  world  and  we  know  of  no  organization 
that  has  not  felt  the  blight  that  falls  from  its  pres- 
ence and  control.  It  is  to-day  holding  back  the 
work  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  Church,  as  the 
organized  expression  of  that  kingdom  often  suffers 
from  its  presence.  In  every  department  of  human 
endeavor  it  paralyzes  progress  and  holds  back  re- 
form. A  serious  phase  of  this  matter  is  that  this 
and  other  faults  linger  with  us  without  our  realizing 


242  Torches  Aloft 

their  presence.  Men  sometimes  make  a  fight  for 
out  of  date  methods,  while  at  the  same  time  compli- 
menting- themselves  that  they  are  thoroughly  wide 
awake  and  progressive.  This  is  because  they  have 
no  perception  of  what  is  superior  to  the  present  or- 
der. Because  this  fault  of  accepting  the  good  in- 
stead of  the  best  often  exists  where  its  presence  is 
not  suspected,  men  may  even  mistake  it  for  a  praise- 
worthy fidelity.  They  think  they  are  true  to  some 
noble  principle  when  they  are  simply  stupid  and 
non-progressive.  This  amounts  to  exalting  a  fault 
through  self  deception  until  it  is  accredited  as  if  it 
were  a  virtue. 

An  abnormal  and  debilitating  self  approval  is  of- 
ten manifest  in  the  character  of  converted  people.  A 
certain  degree  of  self  esteem  is  necessary,  but  when 
it  works  over  the  line  and  becomes  a  vain  self  com- 
placency the  result  is  disastrous.  This  is  the  soil 
out  of  which  pride  grows  and  "pride  cometh  before 
a  fall."  An  excess  in  any  good  thing  destroys  its 
value.  One  can  be  proud  of  his  humility.  In  such 
case  lowliness  becomes  vanity.  It  appears  to  be 
absolutely  true  that  any  quality  overworked  loses 
its  distinctive  value.  The  fault  under  remark  is  a 
form  of  large  satisfaction  over  small  achievement 
which  is  always  lamentable.  There  are  compara- 
tively few  people  who  really  reach  such  attainments 
as  to  justify  any  long  period  of  satisfaction.  This 
observation  holds  good  even  after  all  allowance  has 
been  made  for  what  we  usually  designate  as  "cir- 
cumstances." If  men  will  not  yield  to  undue  self- 


Some  Faults  of  Converted  People  243 

approval  as  an  attitude  of  the  mind  they  will 
thereby  practically  assure  a  mastery  of  "circum- 
stances." 

Another  fault  that  is  far  more  prevalent  than  one 
might  suppose  and  which  is  such  a  handicap  on  hu- 
man progress  in  whomsoever  it  exists  is  an  unpro- 
gressive  spirit.  We  do  well  to  dwell  here  until  we 
have  organized  in  every  heart  a  new  care  against 
this  abominable  evil.  The  non-progressive  spirit 
always  rebels  before  the  call  to  higher  planes  of  life 
and  it  leads  to  intolerance  and  even  wicked  perse- 
cution of  those  people  and  measures  that  challenge 
our  status  and  viewpoint.  Woe  betide  the  man  or 
measure  that  insinuates  in  the  remotest  way  against 
our  superior  qualities  directly  or  indirectly.  When 
this  fault  is  on  duty  we  are  easily  angered  at  what- 
ever disturbs  our  self  complacency  and  resplendent 
self  esteem.  When  it  exists  in  any  kind  of  organi- 
zation, no  matter  how  really  unfruitful  the  organi- 
zation may  be,  it  has  abundant  ability  for  explain- 
ing the  unfruitfulness  and  lack  of  efficiency.  It 
survives  sky  and  earth  to  find  justification  of  the 
prevailing  order.  It  will  even  become  apologetic  of 
laziness,  lack  of  enterprise  and  alertness.  Shrinks 
from  meeting  new  situations  with  a  cry  for  victory 
that  will  not  be  denied.  Easily  surrenders  to  the 
lions  in  the  way  and  magnifies  the  difficulties  of 
progress  and  change.  Exalts  to  a  virtue  the  vicious 
weakness  of  going  around  in  a  mere  keeping  time 
process  and  the  treadmill  of  antiquated  methods. 


244  Torches  Aloft 

This  non-progressive  spirit  talks  loud  and  long 
about  the  "old  paths,"  though  not  at  all  certain  of  a 
definition  for  the  term.  It  fails  absolutely  of  ear- 
nest search  for  the  deeper  meanings  of  such  a  chal- 
lenging attitude  toward  progressive  programs  as  the 
words  really  convey.  It  is  incapable  of  anything  ex- 
cept the  most  superficial  adherence  to  paths  ancient 
or  modern.  When  this  spirit  is  indulged  by  reli- 
gionists it  destroys  the  capacity  for  discernment  as 
to  what  is  the  real  essence  of  religion  and  makes 
possible  for  a  vast  amount  of  pious  blundering  un- 
der the  guise  of  a  deep  devotion  to  God.  It  was  this 
spirit  in  certain  Jews  that  led  up  to  the  crucifixion 
of  the  Lord  Christ.  Holding  dominion  over  a  man 
it  causes  him  to  oppose  advance  movements  even 
when  they  are  wholly  meritorious.  It  makes  of 
good  people  obstructionists  when  they  should  be 
front  line  promoters  of  progress.  It  hears  of  the 
deeper  experiences  of  the  Christian  life  only  to  dis- 
count them  with  ingenuous  sarcasms,  not  stopping 
to  consider  that  such  discounting  is  a  revelation  of 
personal  prejudice  and  shallowness.  It  has  no  abil- 
ity for  farseeing  measures  and  provisions  such  as 
only  can  compass  the  need  of  the  coming  generation 
and  selfishly  cries  out,  "Let  coming  generations  take 
care  of  themselves."  It  is  always  blind  to  great 
opportunities  and  does  what  it  can  to  discourage 
those  who  would  at  once  go  up  and  possess  the  land. 
It  makes  one  a  brakeman  among  a  people  who 
would  be  progressive  under  the  right  sort  of  leader- 
ship. It  can  be  viciously  obstinate  reminding  of 


Some  Faults  of  Converted  People  245 

a  certain  animal  that  has  a  reputation  for  that  sort 
of  thing.  One  under  the  spell  of  this  fault,  if  in 
official  position  even,  and  at  the  head  of  a  stagnant 
and  well-nigh  dead  ecclesiastical  or  other  organiza- 
tion, is  sure  to  be  self-satisfied  and  would  rather 
hold  his  job  than  join  in  any  movement  that  might 
demand  readjustment  and  insist  on  life  and  effi- 
ciency. Such  a  one  is  willing  to  diminish  area  for 
the  sake  of  giving  the  impression  that  his  propor- 
tions are  large  and  stately.  A  small  frog  does  ap- 
pear larger  in  a  small  puddle  than  in  a  large  pond. 
The  non-progressive  spirit  means  stagnation  and  a 
resultant  brood  of  evils.  We  all  need  to  fight  against 
stagnation  for  it  marks  the  boundaries  of  death. 

In  contrast  with  this  fault  as  above,  let  us  con- 
sider what  its  opposite,  the  constructive  spirit,  guar- 
antees. First  and  foremost  it  recognizes  that  growth 
and  expansion  alone  can  annul  the  law  of  decay.  It 
waits  only  until  sure  of  the  ground  over  which  it 
may  move  to  victory  and  forthwith  proceeds  with 
full  steam  ahead.  It  moves  splendidly,  without 
haste,  in  good  order,  holds  advance  ground,  when 
once  it  has  been  taken,  against  all  comers  and  spies 
the  land  for  the  next  conquest.  We  all  have  an  un- 
fortunate capacity  for  becoming  grooved  and  rutty. 
Freshness,  vivacity,  alertness,  and  progress  are  any- 
thing but  easy.  The  absence  of  these  qualities  dim 
the  luster  of  many  an  earthly  career.  They  keep  the 
life  goals  ahead  as  rebukes  for  our  slight  achieve- 
ment. Stagnation  has  marked  antipathy  to  the  con- 
structive spirit  and  would  thus  retard  all  true  prog- 


246  Torches  Aloft 

ress.  The  good  angels  from  the  heights  above  us 
would  protest  always  against  our  self-satisfied 
slumbers.  How  their  voices  rebuke  us  from  the 
heights  we  might  have  scaled  if  we  had  but  been 
willing  to  pay  the  price.  Surely  our  eyes  have  not 
been  holden  so  that  the  heights  have  not  appeared 
with  their  lures  to  better  life  and  service.  Let  us 
remember  that  when  the  present  status  is  easy  it  is 
time  for  us  to  be  warned  and  quickened.  Any  good 
thing  that  challenges  our  faith,  heroism,  and  devo- 
tion should  be  adopted  for  our  best  effort.  It  is 
probable  that  doing  our  real  and  mighty  best  is  all 
that  lies  between  us  and  the  highest  achievement. 
Under  way  is  steamer  safety.  Otherwise  the  tides, 
waves  and  winds  make  havoc  of  schedules  and  aug- 
ment perils. 

Another  fault  of  otherwise  good  people  is  an  un- 
willingness to  pay  the  price  of  progress  and  growth. 
If  we  would  go  and  grow  we  must  be  willing  to 
plod,  for  the  plodder  is  usually  a  winner  because 
the  quality  compels  success  finally.  The  brilliant 
dash,  the  short  cut,  are  admittedly  appealing  but 
they  are  not  the  sure  precursors  of  success.  All 
persons  who  wish  success  in  life  must  be  willing  to 
study,  for  habits  of  study  all  through  life  are  abso- 
lutely essential.  There  are  vital  subjects  which  we 
all  need  to  investigate  and  unless  we  are  willing  to 
undergo  real  effort  for  the  sake  of  adequate  knowl- 
edge, we  shall  fade  out  from  productive  and  respon- 
sible life.  Willingness  to  undergo  for  the  sake  of 
reaching  a  desirable  end  is  a  quality  to  be  coveted. 


Some  Faults  of  Converted  People  247 

If  we  reverse  the  form  of  the  word  we  have  go 
under  and  that  too  tells  the  tale  of  success.  There 
are  men  all  about  who  would  like  the  comfort  of 
competence,  the  strength  of  good  repute,  the  com- 
manding influence  which  crowns  the  life  of  fidelity 
to  high  ideals,  but  they  will  not  go  under  the  terms 
of  their  possession.  They  must  prepare  to  be  hu- 
miliated while  those  who  are  willing  to  render 
equivalents  on  the  counters  where  the  life  prizes 
are  handed  out,  pass  by  them  on  the  upward  way. 
Set  about  the  lives  of  all  men  are  the  challenging 
tasks  which  brave  souls  must  be  willing  to  con- 
front without  fear.  They  are  there  as  tests  to  life 
quality.  The  price  of  power  for  great  tasks  is 
faithfulness  in  the  demand  for  full  preparation. 
What  a  fine  word  preparation  is  for  it  has  the  flavor 
of  genuine  respect  for  the  coming  opportunity.  A 
man  who  is  not  willing  to  prepare  well  and  ade- 
quately for  the  life  task  shows  a  fatal  lack  of  ap- 
preciation of  the  dignity  of  his  own  life  and  the 
high  character  of  the  service  he  would  render  to  so- 
ciety. Society  has  a  way  of  rebuking  people  who 
jump  into  responsibility  with  little  or  no  prepara- 
tion to  meet  it.  We  must  let  go  of  the  things  that 
are  fatal  to  progress  and  power,  or  ours  will  be  a 
short  race  and  the  end  without  honor.  In  confront- 
ing such  a  series  of  requisites  of  success  in  life  we 
shall  often  be  tested  by  the  law  of  crisis.  We  shall 
find  the  crisis  of  adolescence  and  of  maturity,  of 
the  educational  opportunity,  courtship  and  mar- 
riage, thrift  and  economic  success,  the  religious  life, 


248  Torches  Aloft 

and  the  adoption  of  high  ideals  for  life.  Central 
in  the  whole  question  of  life  and  growth  is  the  decis- 
ion for,  and  experience  in,  the  Christian  religion.  No 
man  may  overlook  the  crisis  which  the  appeal  for 
religious  devotion  brings  upon  him.  When  a  young 
person  confronts  the  claims  of  Christ  and  the  faith 
of  which  he  is  the  embodiment,  he  has  indeed  come 
to  a  decisive  hour.  The  deeply  religious  life  is  not 
easy  and  we  must  always  pity  the  life  that  attempts 
nothing  except  what  is  easy  and  that  will  not  dis- 
turb our  comfort.  Religion  is  the  one  decisive  proc- 
ess in  which  we  find  the  highway  that  leads  to 
triumphant  results  in  life.  Whoever  neglects  reli- 
gion comes  into  numberless  delusions  and  snares. 
Prayer  and  all  the  spiritual  inspirations  that  come  to 
us  through  the  sweet  and  strengthening  experiences 
of  comradeship  with  Christ  are  all  determining  fac- 
tors in  human  life,  but  religion  never  was  intended 
to  be  a  way  of  escape  from  legitimate  toil  and  pre- 
scribed effort  on  the  way  to  success  in  life. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

OBJECTIVES  OF  CONVERTED  PEOPLE 

The  law  governing  in  these  objectives  is  indicated 
in  these  words  of  Saint  Paul,  "Striving  according  to 
his  working  which  worketh  in  me  mightily."  So 
the  Christian  works  as  Christ  would  work  if  he 
were  now  on  earth  in  bodily  manifestation,  and, 
that  he  is  to  work  with  vigor  is  reflected  in  the 
words,  "which  worketh  in  me  mightily."  The 
"striving"  or  working  is  the  outgrowth  of 'the  in- 
dwelling Christ.  The  first  clear  objective  for  the 
converted  man  is  soul  winning.  Christ  gave  royal 
battle  to  the  enemies  of  the  souls  of  men  and  the 
centuries  have  attested  the  success  of  his  work. 
Soul  winning  as  a  goal  for  the  Christian's  life  is 
surely  appealing  even  though  the  work  is  of  a  most 
delicate  character  and  for  several  reasons  is  some- 
what baffling.  The  laws  of  approach,  the  overcom- 
ing of  prejudice,  the  'removal  of  ignorance,  the 
methods  to  be  employed,  all  have  to  be  studied  with 
great  care.  Appreciation  of  Christ  and  the  func- 
tion of  leading  souls  to  him  must  be  such  that  a  full 
consecration  to  the  work  is  forthcoming  as  the  only 
fit  expression  of  such  appreciation.  No  success  save 
as  confidence  is  established  and  no  confidence  is 
possible  without  such  personality  and  character  as 
commands  it  beyond  all  question.  The  greatest 


250  Torches  Aloft 

experience  to  which  any  human  being  can  be 
brought  is  an  experience  of  Christ  as  Savior  and 
Lord.  Any  occasion  on  which  this  great  experience 
is  inaugurated  is  a  great  occasion.  The  wayside 
meeting,  the  planned  interview,  the  mutual  study  of 
the  Bible,  service  in  physical  relief,  sympathy  and 
kindly  ministry  in  sorrow,  the  showing  of  a  good 
example,  may  all  be  utilized  and  made  fruitful.  Pa- 
tience and  skill  in  meeting  evasions,  knowledge  suf- 
ficient to  meet  certain  intellectual  difficulties,  dis- 
cernment as  to  the  thoroughness  requisite  for  over- 
coming the  tendency  toward  superficiality  in  a  proc- 
ess so  imperatively  calling  for  genuineness,  are 
requisites  of  success. 

Life  saving  is  another  worthy  objective  and  by 
this  we  mean  to  cover  the  earthly  career  and 
achievements.  Salvation  for  disembodied  spirits  is 
one  thing  and  help  for  life  efficiency  here  and  now  is 
another,  even  though,  as  we  believe,  they  are  vitally 
related  to  one  another.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
placing  a  human  being  under  instruction  whereby 
he  can  make  the  most  of  his  opportunity  in  this  life 
is  a  duty  of  first  importance.  God  never  intended 
the  present  life  to  be  wasted  and  it  is  the  high  obli- 
gation of  both  the  Church  and  the  State  to  conserve 
it.  The  Christian  always  has  opportunity  to  help 
especially  young  people  to  such  knowledge  as  will 
enable  them  to  keep  out  of  the  pitfalls  that  are  pre- 
pared for  their  destruction.  Our  young  people  are 
exposed  to  insidious  temptations  to  physical  vices 
which,  when  once  endulged  in  enslave  with  chains 


Objectives  of  Converted  People  251 

that  grow  stronger  constantly.  The  day  of  reckon- 
ing is  sure  to  come  for  these  excesses  and  parents 
and  all  others  are  called  upon  to  save  life  by  giving 
knowledge.  We  save  a  life  when  we  turn  it  toward 
education  and  preparation  for  useful  employment. 
If  we  can  encourage  young  people  to  take  training 
with  a  view  to  doing  something  of  a  constructive 
character  which  the  world  is  sure  to  want  done  well, 
we  shall  be  real  benefactors.  If  we  keep  our  eyes 
open  and  have  in  mind  constantly  the  duty  of 
guiding  persons  into  the  means  and  methods  of  life 
efficiency  great  will  be  our  reward  and  the  result 
will  be  a  better  world.  Every  life  should  be  saved 
from  failure  and  those  who  know  how  to  make  it  a 
success  should  get  busy  in  behalf  of  multitudes  who 
are  in  part  helpless.  Let  us  set  ourselves  to  be- 
come boosters  of  humanity. 

We  cannot  save  life  in  any  permanent  sense  un- 
less we  put  it  in  the  way  of  building  itself  up  and 
so  life  building  as  well  as  life  saving  becomes  an 
urgent  duty.  An  architect  who  has  watched  the 
erection  of  a  building  by  the  contractor  from  start 
to  finish  has  a  pardonable  pride  and  a  justified  pleas- 
ure when  the  structure  has  been  completed.  But 
we  know  that  even  the  angels  of  God  rejoice  in 
heaven  when  soul  winners  and  life  builders  have 
succeeded.  From  foundation  to  top  stone  the  build- 
ing of  a  life  is  of  surpassing  interest,  for  time  and 
eternity  are  involved  in  the  issue.  Spiritual,  intel- 
lectual and  physical  welfare  enter  into  the  problem 
and  neither  may  be  neglected.  No  real  life  building 


252  Torches  Aloft 

is  possible  without  a  sense  of  God  and  a  relation  to 
him  that  is  vital  and  gracious.  In  the  process  there 
comes  early  and  logically,  deliverance  from  sin  and 
a  program  which  anticipates  the  elimination  of  all 
removable  human  weaknesses.  Much  more  of  hu- 
man weakness  is  removable  than  is  usually  sup- 
posed. We  need  this  optimistic  view  of  human  na- 
ture for  we  live  in  the  dispensation  of  the  grace  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  the  way  is  open  to  the  highest 
quality  and  order  of  human  life.  Salvation  by  Christ 
equals  character,  and  character  of  high  order  is  a 
fundamental  requisite  in  all  life  building. 

In  part  the  objectives  we  are  discussing  are  the 
direct  work  of  God  and  in  part  they  have  origin 
in  man  himself.  This  co-partnership  is  a  joyful  and 
essential  reality.  God  does  not  presume  to  do  what 
is  distinctly  our  own  duty  and  prerogative.  Hav- 
ing created  man  he  dignifies  him  by  expecting  and 
even  requiring  that  he  shall  be  true  and  genuine  in 
accepting  his  own  full  function.  By  a  failure  to  ap- 
preciate this  principle  and  act  accordingly  we  may 
overburden  the  most  gracious  Christian  experience 
and  such  a  mistake  seriously  injures  the  cause  of 
religion.  There  are  certain  well  defined  spheres 
and  boundaries  in  human  nature  in  which  religion 
is  the  distinct  and  final  force  and  there  are  others 
in  which  culture  and  natural  process  are  essential. 
The  religious  experience  is  the  starting  point  for 
every  worthy  objective  in  life  and  contributes  to 
the  enrichment  of  every  faculty  of  the  human  per- 
sonality. 


Objectives  of  Converted  People  253 

The  whole  nature  of  man  is  a  sphere  for  salva- 
tion, and  no  sooner  are  the  salvation  processes  in- 
stalled than  all  the  faculties  are  instantly  quickened 
and  strengthened  for  normal  action  so  that  all  the 
cultural  processes  may  be  made  efficient.  Religion 
delivers  from  diseased  self-interest  which  makes 
so  many  persons  a  social  burden  and  menace.  It 
makes  one  upright  and  downright.  As  a  force  in 
personality  it  sets  will  and  judgment  and  desire  to- 
ward intellectual  training  and  development.  It 
voices  the  prayer  for  deliverance  from  heart  hard- 
ness and  will  feebleness  and  body  filthiness.  Sal- 
vation sometimes  begins  with  intellectual  illumina- 
tion. The  mind  is  brought  to  a  very  ferment  and 
the  agitation  is  wholesome  and  happy.  The  mind 
seems  to  break  forth  into  a  new  world  and  heated 
by  the  religious  experiences  rises  to  heights  of  pure 
desire  like  a  bird  of  flight.  In  other  individuals  sal- 
vation begins  with  spiritual  illumination  and  the 
conscience  at  once  sets  new  standards  of  character 
and  conduct.  In  other  words  it  accepts  and  makes 
potent  by  that  acceptance  the  standards  the  Lord 
God  has  set  up.  When  an  individual  begins  to  ask 
with  a  new  moral  earnestness  about  the  Tightness 
and  wrongness  of  human  conduct  you  may  be  as- 
sured that  salvation  processes  are  being  established 
within.  A  sensitive  conscience  is  a  jewel  to  be  cov- 
eted, and  nothing  short  of  the  saving  grace  of  Al- 
mighty God  can  produce  it.  The  Word,  grace,  and 
Spirit  of  God  are  the  superhuman  agencies  of  con- 
science creation  and  discipline.  Within  some  people 


254  Torches  Aloft 

salvation  operates  first  in  the  will  and  that  is  at 
once  a  most  hopeful  evidence  of  sanity  and  safety. 
The  will  was  given  us  that  we  might  thereby  con- 
trol ourselves  in  relation  to  morals  and  religion  as 
well  as  touching  other  matters  in  life.  It  is  often 
in  the  will  that  the  rankest  sort  of  irreligion  rages 
and  rules.  The  Bible  asserts  again  and  again  the 
mighty  prerogatives  of  mankind  as  embodied  in  the 
will.  Comparatively  few  people  know  the  full  scope 
and  function  of  this  element  in  human  nature.  Jesus 
referred  to  the  will  frequently  and  never  failed  to 
impress  his  hearers  with  the  seriousness  of  human 
responsibility  in  its  use  and  attitude.  "If  any  man 
will  let  him  come."  "If  any  man  will  open  the  door 
I  will  come  in."  But  in  all  the  problem  of  moral 
action  and  progress  we  should  be  helpless  if  God 
had  not  endowed  us  with  a  rich  and  significant  emo- 
tional nature  and  so  salvation  often  begins  the  up- 
ward pull  in  some  form  or  phase  of  emotion.  Every 
emotion  known  to  man  as  a  part  of  himself  is  ap- 
pealed to  by  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Even  fear  has 
place  in  summing  up  the  feelings  that  are  rightful 
in  the  relation  to  the  complete  message  of 
the  religion  of  Christ.  Far  from  believing 
that  fear  ought  not  to  be  appealed  to  in  be- 
half of  religion  we  believe  that  omitting  to  do  so 
is  illogical  and  weak.  Fear  has  a  large  place  in  all 
moral  government  and  because  God  so  thoroughly 
understands  human  nature  he  has  not  hesitated  to 
make  it  plain  that  any  sane  mind  may  well  fear  to 
disobey  him.  Shall  we  fear  God?  We  answer  most 


Objectives  of  Converted  People  255 

assuredly,  yes.  If  God  shall  move  upon  us  through 
our  emotions  well  and  good,  let  us  heed  and  give 
welcome.  If  he  shall  not  so  come,  then  let  us  wel- 
come the  persuasions  that  come  through  any  other 
faculty  of  our  nature. 

Let  us  earnestly  inquire  as  to  how  we  may  reach 
the  objectives  that  are  appropriate  to  converted  peo- 
ple. It  is  about  the  how  that  we  must  often  gather 
with  the  gravest  spirit  of  inquiry.  If  we  miss  here 
we  miss  all.  Mind,  will,  conscience,  affections,  all 
unite  to  move  us  toward  the  great  God-given  goals 
so  that  our  lives  may  be  so  many  manifestations 
of  God's  glory  and  power.  First  of  all  we  must  go 
to  work  where  God  is  at  work  in  individuals  and  in 
society.  This  sort  of  activity  will  set  us  forward  to- 
ward character  success  for  that  inevitably  follows 
the  identification  of  human  activities  with  divine 
activities.  Unmistakably  God  is  at  work  in  the  indi- 
vidual and  in  society  with  a  view  to  establishing 
the  reign  of  the  kingdom  of  equity  and  peace  on 
earth.  He  is  at  work  in  behalf  of  social  righteous- 
ness and  such  use  of  law  and  moral  suasion  as  will 
curb  human  rapacity  and  forbid  the  oppression  of 
the  weak  by  the  strong.  He  is  shining  forth  in 
the  camp  fires  of  social  reform,  in  the  movements 
for  political  genuineness,  in  the  demand  for  the  dis- 
tribution of  medium  wealth  to  the  many  rather  than 
the  criminal  accumulations  of  abnormal  wealth  by 
the  few.  If  you  have  been  indifferent  in  the  fight 
get  into  the  front  line  at  once  or  you  will  be  forever 
a  stranger  to  the  objectives  that  alone  make  of 


256  Torches  Aloft 

men  and  women  the  allies  of  God.  We  shall  reach 
these  character  objectives  also  by  giving  sympa- 
thetic co-operation  in  the  almost  new  phases  of  ef- 
fort in  behalf  of  human  progress  and  development 
that  are  now  coming  to  the  attention  of  all  inquir- 
ing minds.  It  is  time  we  all  set  out  to  meet  all 
human  need  in  the  name  of  Christ.  Just  as  nearly 
as  may  be,  let  it  be  done  without  further  delay,  for 
the  weary  world  has  waited  now  too  long.  There  are 
life  burdens  as  well  as  sin  burdens  and  they  are  to 
be  lifted  from  shouulders  and  hearts  by  the  work  of 
the  Savior  and  those  whom  he  has  empowered  to  the 
joint  mission.  Because  he  works  we  also  must  work 
and  so  the  hurt  of  the  world  will  be  healed.  There 
are  burdens  on  the  homes  of  millions  in  America 
to-day  because  of  a  widespread  lust  for  gain  by  hu- 
man tyrants  and  hyenas  who  are  willing  to  devour 
the  helpless  that  they  may  revel  in  the  brainstorms 
of  the  money  mad.  The  most  vicious  conduct  that 
is  known  in  America  to-day  is  indicated  above,  be- 
cause it  sets  up  impassable  barriers  to  the  higher 
development  of  millions  of  our  people  through  this 
violent  economic  injustice.  Public  sentiment  must 
be  created  by  education  as  to  the  enormity  of  this 
evil  and  the  government  aroused  until  all  its  power 
is  exercised  for  its  elimination.  Corporation  dom- 
inance in  municipal,  state,  or  national  affairs  is  a 
plague  more  deadly  than  yellow  fever  and  should 
be  fought  with  a  determination  to  end  it  forever  in 
the  United  States.  The  hypocrisy  of  the  trusts  was 
never  more  flagrant  and  defiant  than  now,  but  the 


Objectives  of  Converted  People  257 

tearing  off  of  the  mask  is  also  at  hand.  Their  men- 
dacity has  about  run  its  race  and  the  people  are 
ready  to  assert  their  rights.  Falsehood,  deception, 
and  jugglery  in  bookkeeping  will  not  carry  the 
American  people  longer.  Let  the  Church  make  sure 
that  it  is  free  from  any  sort  or  measure  of  complic- 
ity in  this  corporation  sinning,  for  it  is  to-day  a 
greater  foe  to  the  highest  development  of  the  pres- 
ent generation  than  any  other  evil  extant.  In  fact, 
it  is  part  and  parcel  in  every  vice  that  afflicts  the 
nation. 

America  is  becoming  unwilling  to  longer  encour- 
age or  allow  an  aristocracy  of  wealth  to  dominate 
the  country.  The  income  tax  should  have  been  used 
long  ago  to  compel  the  distribution  of  wealth  and 
compel  it  to  accept  something  like  a  just  share  of 
the  burdens  of  government.  Our  government  has 
as  yet  dealt  very  inadequately  with  the  trust  evil 
as  witness  the  travesty  of  dissolution  in  the  case  of 
the  Standard  Oil  Company,  and  the  Tobacco  Trust. 
No  real  compliance  with  the  spirit  of  anti-trust  leg- 
islation has  been  observed  anywhere.  This  is  creat- 
ing a  growing  unrest  and  it  will  increase  as  it 
should.  The  temper  of  the  age  is  such  that  genuine 
and  equitable  adjustments  to  new  legislation  must 
be  made  or  radicalism  will  carry  any  measure  it 
may  decree.  The  legislation  must  be  sufficiently 
radical  to  reach  the  class  of  offenders  who  are  in 
need  of  drastic  measures  before  they  will  respect 
the  modern  standards  of  social  decency.  The  public 
is  rapidly  revising  its  standards  of  what  is  decent 


258  Torches  Aloft 

and  what  is  not,  with  the  result  that  many  men  who 
have  passed  muster  will  shortly  be  classed  among 
the  monsters  of  society.  Because  a  man  has  amassed 
a  million  or  several  million,  it  does  not  follow  that 
he  is  a  benefactor. 

The  verdict  of  the  twentieth  century  is  that  no 
man  is  socially  decent  save  as  he  measures  up  to  the 
demand  for  constructive  social  achievement.  Wealth 
and  social  helpfulness  are  not  necessarily  concomi- 
tants. Our  civilization  has  developed  a  consider- 
able amount  of  money  boorishness  which  indulges 
the  nonsense  that  a  man  may  offer  to  society  in 
lieu  of  achieved  strength  of  character,  a  large  bank 
account.  The  age  is  at  last  putting  its  condemna- 
tion on  such  twaddle.  Low  character  perception 
and  achievement  means  not  only  our  own  moral 
failure  but  it  means  that  we  have  no  ability  to  help 
others.  Society  cannot  be  lifted  up  by  those  who 
have  been  guilty  of  character  defalcation  them- 
selves. The  age  requires  that  we  shall  be  willing 
to  sacrifice  anything  in  order  to  be  of  service  in 
bringing  our  civilization  to  character  fundamentals. 
In  giving  ourselves  to  a  discipleship  of  higher  ideals 
we  must  be  quite  ready  for  excommunication  from  a 
few  men  who  are  deeply  demoralized  and  far  from 
social  integrity.  Let  us  count  on  being  often  mis- 
represented and  misinterpreted.  The  contention  for 
higher  standards  of  righteousness  must  be  carried 
forward  at  all  cost  until  our  glaring  wrongs  have 
been  removed  and  the  doers  of  evil  brought  to 
their  knees.  To-day  many  evils  have  a  multitude 


Objectives  of  Converted  People  259 

of  defenders  who  cry  out  stoutly  in  protest  against 
reform  and  our  moral  processes  must  become  suffi- 
ciently strong  to  overcome  this  moral  decay  and 
fully  cleanse  our  social  life.  A  warfare  must  be 
waged  on  insatiate  greed  no  matter  how  strongly 
intrenched  it  may  be  until  equity  and  righteousness 
have  been  established  in  the  social  processes.  These 
are  days  in  which  we  should  be  setting  before  our 
minds  the  ultimate  America  and  all  that  we  now 
do  should  have  reference  to  such  an  ideal.  Our 
thinking  has  probably  not  been  as  far  reaching  and 
inclusive  as  it  should  be.  We  have  been  satisfied 
to  improvise  and  meet  emergencies  as  they  have 
arisen  when  we  should  also  be  giving  ourselves 
to  the  most  thorough  effort  in  behalf  of  the  final 
aims  of  our  civilization  and  government.  We  should 
be  building  for  the  future  as  well  as  for  the  present. 
The  foes  of  human  welfare  are  legion  and  they  con- 
tend furiously  for  the  continuance  of  their  privileges 
of  destruction.  The  lovers  of  righteousness  and  re- 
form must  give  battle  being  well  assured  that 
where  the  line  of  resistance  is  now  flung  the  banners 
of  moral  conquest  will  shortly  be  floating  in  the  air. 
Ground  that  is  now  occupied  by  the  hosts  of  evil 
shall  soon  be  under  the  peaceful  flag  of  Emmanuel. 
Righteousness  is  entitled  to  the  comfortable  sense 
of  achievement  which  comes  when  the  cohorts  of 
evil  have  been  driven  back  and  the  resources  and 
equipments  possessed  by  them  are  turned  over  to 
humanized  control.  The  gracious  objectives  of 
good  people  are  to  be  attained  and  even  if  the  proc- 


260  Torches  Aloft 

esses  of  their  attainment  are  baffling  because  we 
are  so  unsophisticated,  we  must  persevere  until 
victory  comes.  We  must  be  willing  to  pay  the  price 
of  establishing  a  good  principle  and  in  this  world 
the  price  is  often  considerable.  We  are,  in  this  en- 
terprise "workers  together  with  God,"  and  we  must 
show  ourselves  dependable  in  such  a  partnership. 
He  is  at  work  in  the  moral  conflicts  about  us  by 
the  moral  qualities  of  his  own  character  and  in  prov- 
idences which  we  may  not  always  comprehend.  Our 
lack  of  fidelity  limits  his  gracious  manifestations 
of  power,  but  the  ceaseless  pressure  of  redeeming 
love  never  fails.  With  such  an  ally  as  the  Lord 
God  Almighty  with  what  courage  and  wisdom 
should  the  campaign  be  waged.  No  whimpering  or 
crying  out  with  fear,  but  resoluteness  and  compos- 
ure are  appropriate  to  the  militant  children  of  God. 
"Workers  together  with  him."  Pass  the  glorious 
news  along  the  line  until  no  one  falters  or  fears. 
Ring  out  in  clarion  tones  the  glad  fact  until  men 
forget  their  strange  fascinations  with  evil  and  take 
up  the  task  of  universal  human  betterment.  What 
a  good  world  we  can  cause  this  one  to  be  if  we  will 
have  it  so ;  how  like  the  heaven  to  which  we  all  hope 
to  pass  at  the  last. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  PERILS  OF  RELIGIOUS  PEOPLE 

"Looking  diligently  lest  any  man  fail  of  the  grace 
of  God,"  is  expressive  of  an  attitude  which  good 
people  must  constantly  maintain.  The  Christian 
life  is  our  high  privilege,  but  one  is  not  immune 
from  the  peril  of  falling  below  the  actualizations 
that  are  indicated  for  Christian  character  and  serv- 
ice. For  every  Christian  the  after-conversion  devel- 
opments are  matters  of  determining  importance. 
Christianity  puts  a  genuine  test  upon  human  per- 
sonality and  it  is  a  universal  law  that  test  implies 
the  danger  of  failure  under  test.  There  could  be  no 
human  greatness  and  achievement  if  this  were  not 
true.  The  principle  of  peril  with  privilege  is  to  be 
observed  everywhere. 

Marriage  and  home  life  are  an  infinite  privilege 
but  our  civilization  is  chastened  by  the  sadly  nu- 
merous exhibitions  of  marital  infelicity.  The  di- 
vorce courts  are  thronged  with  suits  for  separation 
and  the  revelations  of  animalism  and  depravity  are 
enough  to  discourage  the  stoutest  heart.  Not  only 
is  all  this  failure  under  the  privilege  of  matrimony 
hurtful  in  the  extreme  to  the  parties  involved  in  the 
actions  for  divorce,  but  children  are  disgraced  and 
the  order  of  society  is  viciously  assailed.  This  sense 
of  peril  in  the  marriage  relation  should  not  deter  us 
from  entering  upon  it,  but  it  should  steady  our 


262  Torches  Aloft 

giddy  heads  until  we  accept  the  wisdom  of  the  de- 
mand for  religious  experience  and  character  to  the 
end  that  we  may  have  self-control  and  may  guar- 
antee marital  efficiency.  The  offense  against  soci- 
ety of  marrying  and  then  defaulting  from  its  laws 
of  service  and  fidelity  is  so  serious  that  its  heinous- 
ness  should  be  published  by  all  the  agencies  that 
have  to  do  in  training  the  race  and  creating  public 
opinion.  The  people  who  evidently  take  marriage 
and  divorce  as  a  joke  should  be  reprimanded  from 
every  quarter  until  the  shame  of  their  course  should 
become  intolerable  and  their  defiance  of  public  sen- 
timent an  impossibility. 

The  happiness  resultant  from  marriages  and 
homes  constituted  according  to  God's  order  has 
never  been  adequately  described  by  any  mortal 
tongue  and  never  can  be.  Genuine  and  sane  religious 
life  is  the  one  solvent  for  the  problems  of  marital  and 
domestic  life.  The  institutions  of  marriage  and  do- 
mesticity are  divine  and  they  imply  Christian  char- 
acter on  the  part  of  all  who  would  participate  in 
their  obligations  and  privileges.  When  men  and  wo- 
men presume  to  ignore  this  requisite  for  social  effi- 
ciency they  are  sure  to  be  under  penalty  for  the  in- 
fraction of  the  governing  law  and  there  is  no  escape. 
It  seems  all  but  unthinkable  that  so  many  otherwise 
intelligent  people  should  reckon  on  a  wholesome 
use  of  a  divine  institution  which  is  based  on  the 
fundamental  requirement  that  all  persons  entering 
into  the  sacred  relations  made  possible  by  such  in- 
stitution shall  be  genuinely  and  sanely  religious, 


The  Perils  of  Religious  People  263 

while  they  themselves  remain  irreligious.  Genuine 
religion  as  a  requisite  of  every  sort  of  social  effi- 
ciency is  not  the  arbitrary  announcement  of  the 
church  or  the  clergy  but  the  announcement  of  the 
human  constitution,  nature,  and  need.  Parents  who 
abdicate  from  their  responsibilities  and  privileges 
in  the  training  of  offspring  in  the  home  may  well 
fear  what  occurs  again  and  again  when  in  the  courts 
where  criminals  are  confronted  with  their  crimes 
and  compelled  to  answer  to  society  for  the  same, 
parents  come  to  lamentation,  to  great  and  inconsol- 
able grief.  The  most  of  our  criminals  are  young, 
surprisingly  young,  showing  that  we  are  only  a  lit- 
tle way  from  the  contributing  cause  of  a  defective 
home  life  and  the  absence  of  parental  control  as  a 
most  unpardonable  defect  among  many  defects.  No 
sorrow  pierces  deeper  than  that  which  comes  from 
straying  offspring.  Establishing  a  home  and  exer- 
cising the  God-given  prerogative  of  parenthood  are 
exalted  privileges,  but  remember,  parents,  if  we  tol- 
erate disobedience,  youthful  vagrancy,  truancy, 
questionable  and  hurtful  habits,  consorting  with  evil 
companions,  neglect  of  moral  and  intellectual  train- 
ing in  our  offspring,  together  with  or  apart  from  our 
own  neglect  of  righteousness,  we  are  bound  to  meet 
a  day  of  judgment,  and  sorrow  shall  pierce  our 
hearts.  Given  a  good  example  and  good  training  a 
child  will  sometimes  sin  against  it  all,  but  that  is 
the  exception  and  not  the  rule.  Let  the  truth  grip 
us  and  arouse  us  that  with  every  high  privilege  we 
are  exposed  to  subtle  dangers  and  we  must  be  on 


264  Torches  Aloft 

guard  and  place  ourselves  in  the  keeping  of  divine 
grace.  We  must  also  make  ourselves  intelligent  as 
to  the  laws  of  efficiency  that  govern  in  any  given 
privilege. 

As  showing  how  vital  the  question  of  religious 
development  is,  let  us  note  that  Christianity  is  foun- 
dationed  on  two  great  principles,  namely,  light  and 
power,  or  illumination  and  inspiration.  If  as  cit- 
izens of  an  enlightened  nation  we  wish  to  know 
what  are  the  laws  that  should  govern  us  in  any  given 
relationship  to  privilege  we  may  be  assured  that  God 
stands  ready  to  throw  clear  light  on  the  whole  sit- 
uation. If  we  but  apply  ourselves  to  him,  Christ 
does  lighten  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world. 
His  light  shines  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  the  Holy  Bi- 
ble, by  all  the  good  literature  to  which  we  may 
have  access,  and  through  our  own  conscience  and 
intelligence  he  would  have  us  wise  as  against  our 
perils  of  every  sort.  But  one  might  have  light  and 
yet  be  comparatively  powerless  to  meet  the  exigen- 
cies of  life.  So  Christ  stands  for  the  installation 
of  the  suitable  disposition  toward  privilege  and 
duty  together  with  an  appropriate  moral  power  to 
fulfill  one's  day  and  duty.  All  hail  the  Christian 
emancipations  and  endowments. 

It  is  pertinent  that  we  should  inquire  as  to  what 
are  the  facts  and  forces  which  account  for  and  con- 
stitute the  dangers  of  good  people.  First  of  all  it 
is  easy  to  be  superficial.  Many  do  only  what  is 
easiest  to  be  done  and  never  get  beyond  that  view 
of  life.  To  go  deeply  into  the  character  and  life 


The  Perils  of  Religious  People  265 

struggles  is  no  ordinary  challenge  to  human  quali- 
ties. Skimming  about  on  the  surface  of  things  sat- 
isfies far  too  many  people.  No  matter  how  noble  the 
challenge  or  how  ennobling  our  response  would  be 
we  all  have  a  fine  capacity  for  evading  the  exacting 
and  the  genuine.  We  need  to  have  our  hearts  laid 
bare  at  this  point  and  no  pulpit  does  its  full  duty 
that  does  not  at  times  deal  in  the  most  unsparing 
way  with  our  religious  inertia.  There  are  certain 
enticing  allurements  in  the  direction  of  ungenuine- 
ness  and  superficiality.  For  instance  the  tendency 
to  feel  that  there  is  a  kind  of  smartness  in  specious- 
ness  and  evasion,  the  while  forgetting  that  though 
this  subtle  attitude  may  tickle  our  vanity  it  is  the 
deadly  foe  of  genuineness  and  true  power.  Intel- 
lectual vanity  is  especially  perilous  because  it  makes 
havoc  with  all  moral  progress.  It  speeds  the  man 
over  the  highway  that  ends  in  perdition.  Instead  of 
flattering  ourselves  when  we  have  evaded  any  moral 
or  religious  appeal,  or  when  we  have  parried  suc- 
cessfully the  claims  of  duty,  repentance  and  a  cry 
to  God  for  recovery  are  the  only  acts  that  are  com- 
patible with  real  sanity. 

There  is  an  innate  human  tendency  toward  an 
undue  satisfaction  on  a  matter  of  such  trifling  im- 
portance as  that  appearances  are  maintained.  True 
we  should  have  regard  to  what  is  conventionally 
correct,  but  what  a  sham  to  allow  the  case  to  rest 
there  and  stop  at  that.  All  that  is  essentially  valu- 
able in  life  lies  deeper  than  that.  One  who  lives  at 
the  heart  of  things  has  an  invaluable  guarantee 


266  Torches  Aloft 

against  unfavorable  appearances,  and,  a  fine  and 
really  essential  guarantee  or  justification  for  good 
appearances.  Only  such  a  one  can  possess  real 
power  of  any  sort.  Unless  good  people  are  really 
better  than  they  appear  to  be  there  could  not  be 
much  hope  for  the  progress  of  the  race.  Piety  is 
more  fundamental  than  any  institutional  expression 
of  it.  Formality  is  not  religion  and  religion  is  often 
informal.  Its  power  is  in  its  spontaneity. 

At  conversion  the  human  soul  is  molten  and  this 
is  well,  for  it  is  a  part  of  the  salvation  process  that 
the  heart  shall  be  sensitive  to  the  high  ideals  which 
Christ  unfailingly  presents.  The  church  and  the 
pastor  are  wise  if  this  period  of  warmth  is  utilized 
fully  in  setting  before  the  convert  the  true  charac- 
ter and  requirements  of  discipleship  to  Christ.  The 
after-conversion  development  of  the  convert  is  the 
true  test  of  pastoral  efficiency.  This  is  the  period  of 
fine  sincerity  and  teachableness.  The  period  is  dan- 
gerous and  critical  because  of  the  law  of  reaction 
which  asserts  itself  with  unfailing  certainty  in  con- 
nection with  every  crisis  for  superior  life  and  char- 
acter qualities.  Old  Doctor  Reactionary  is  always 
on  duty  and  he  smiles  when  he  can  by  any  sort  of 
pretext  slow  down  the  processes  that  make  for  the 
forward-going  of  the  individual  or  society.  He 
loves  to  chill  the  zeal  of  the  new  convert  and  cause 
him  to  desist  from  delivering  in  rapid  succession  the 
telling  blows  against  the  kingdom  of  evil  which  are 
sure  to  follow  a  complete  surrender  of  the  convert 
to  Christ  and  his  program.  No  sooner  born  of  the 


The  Perils  of  Religious  People  267 

Spirit  than  there  comes  the  consciousness  that  the 
claims  of  Christ,  of  humanity,  and  social  service  in 
the  Savior's  name,  are  to  be  supremely  commanding 
and  insistent  even  in  an  ever  deepening  degree. 

Old  Doctor  Reactionary  stands  by  to  suggest 
how  sane  and  permissible  it  will  be  for  the  new 
convert  to  shrink  from  the  deepening  claims. 
Alertness  as  to  the  absolute  destructiveness  of  this 
suggestion  is  imperative,  for,  mind  you,  the  virility 
of  discipleship  is  immediately  cancelled  when  it  is 
accepted.  Moral  and  spiritual  power  as  manifest  in 
human  character  must  be  cumulative  and  it  cannot 
be  cumulative  unless  its  sway  over  the  soul  shall  be 
increasingly  complete  and  its  social  expression 
degree  on  degree  more  commanding,  true,  and  ade- 
quate. Such  moral  and  religious  strenuousness  is 
not  exactly  easy,  but  it  is  exceedingly  satisfying, 
exhilarating  and  fruitful. 

Self-deception  is  always  an  imminent  danger  to 
good  people  and  when  one  is  self-deceived  he  is  in- 
variably a  formalist  lacking  in  aspirations  for  holi- 
ness and  soul  winning  power.  Certain  of  our  reli- 
gious denominations  at  least  formerly  made  much 
of  the  class  meeting  and  the  class  leadership.  La- 
terly  as  the  age  has  come  to  be  more  utilitarian  as 
some  would  have  us  believe,  there  has  developed  a 
criticism  of  the  class  meeting  to  the  effect  that  it 
had  developed  a  multitude  of  sentimentalists  who 
were  long  on  talk  and  short  on  actualization  and 
ethical  expression.  This  criticism  can  never  have  a 
fraction  of  justification  save  as  religious  people  be- 


268  Torches  Aloft 

come  formalists  and  suffer  the  loss  of  that  spon- 
taneity which  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  inva- 
riably creates  and  directs.  Emerson,  he  of  the  in- 
cisive tongue  and  pen,  characterizes  these  loqua- 
cious, self-deceived  formalists  as  "talkers  who 
mistake  the  description  for  the  thing,  the  saying  for 
the  having."  This  trenchant  statement  strikes  at  the 
heart  of  this  danger  from  formality  and  may  well 
serve  to  put  us  all  on  guard  lest  we  be  found  the 
mimics  of  the  reality.  Any  man  who  dwells  much 
on  high  religious  ideals  while  he  is  seriously  lacking 
in  their  high  potency  as  an  inward  realization  and 
who  does  not  compel  their  actual  deliverances  in 
his  own  soul  and  life  is  a  religious  debauchee,  he  is 
drunken  from  mere  verbalism,  he  has  vitiated  the 
quality,  condition,  and  virtue  of  religious  genuine- 
ness. This  type  of  character  is  easily  and  essen- 
tially pharisaical.  It  is  most  difficult  to  bring  such 
a  one  under  conviction  for  repentance  and  deepen- 
ing of  his  own  experience  and  religious  quality. 
His  self-deception  involves  his  mistaking  disease 
for  health,  a  form  of  religion  for  its  power.  All  that 
has  been  said  here  is  not  to  discourage  the  class 
meeting  with  appropriate  expressions  of  individual 
Christian  experience,  but  to  warn  against  the  peril 
which  lurks  even  here  and  against  which  all  good 
people  need  to  be  on  their  guard. 

Let  us  consider  somewhat  carefully  the  after-con- 
version illuminations.  The  disciple  of  Christ  is  im- 
mediately brought  under  a  flood  of  light,  attem- 
pered, to  be  sure,  but  abundant,  full  and  all  embrac- 


The  Perils  of  Religious  People  269 

ing.  A  wide  range  of  virtues  are  indicated  for  in- 
dividual obtainment  and  a  broad  and  comprehensive 
program  of  duties  is  indicated.  All  around,  and  out 
and  in,  and  through  and  through,  the  path  of  duty 
is  made  plain.  There  comes  the  call  to  complete 
doctrine,  faith,  and  character.  Oh,  what  an  under- 
taking for  us  poor  mortals,  but  oh,  what  glorious 
help  is  afforded  us  giving  a  full  guarantee  of  our 
relative  success.  Let  us  follow  the  vision  and  as 
quickly  as  may  be  overtake  the  reality.  Having 
once  had  the  vision  of  what  our  Lord  would  have  us 
be  and  do,  we  dare  not  draw  back.  God  has  pleas- 
ure in  us  as  we  face  the  searching  demands  of  the 
kingdom  of  righteousness  and  we  must  face  a  final 
responsibility.  Now  that  light  has  come  and  we  see 
the  way  and  have  been  referred  to  the  source  of 
power,  we  must  act  promptly,  decisively,  earnestly 
and  adequately.  Our  failure  in  the  presence  of  both 
light  and  power  must  be  calamitous  to  ourselves 
and  we  must  awake  and  shine,  our  light  having 
come  and  our  Almighty  Savior  being  at  hand. 

There  are  some  mistakes  as  to  character  success 
and  we  must  avoid  them.  Some  tell  us  that  char- 
acter comes  as  a  long-drawn  out  and  wearying  proc- 
ess. There  is  a  half  truth  in  this  statement  and 
the  other  half  is  dangerous  and  misleading.  The 
completed  character  does  not  come  until  life  as  a 
probation  has  ended  and  some  of  these  perfecting 
processes  are  to  be  carried  forward  beyond  what  we 
call  death,  but  as  to  essential  and  determining  qual- 
ity, godly  character  may  be  had  instantly  as  the 


270  Torches  Aloft 

gracious  renewing  act  of  God's  redemptive-creative 
power.  Godly  character  is  a  divine  impartation  and 
when  once  installed  is  to  be  carried  forward  and 
developed  by  grace  and  education.  This  truth  as  to 
character  does  not  minimize  the  importance  of  edu- 
cation, but  the  rather  exalts  it  by  assuring  its 
fruitfulness  because  applied  to  dependable  person- 
ality, the  personality  being  made  dependable  by 
divine  grace.  If  we  could  not  preach  this  doctrine 
of  instantaneous  character  transformation  we  should 
discourage  immediate  moral  awakening  and  we 
would  stupefy  the  moral  desires  of  men.  They 
would  be  compelled  to  think  of  personal  goodness 
as  a  remote  and  uncertain  contingency  whereas  it  is 
an  immediate  impossibility.  Men  who  adhere  to 
the  view  that  character  from  the  standpoint  of 
religion  must  be  entirely  an  educational  product, 
tell  us  they  would  thereby  avoid  hasty  and  superfi- 
cial professions  of  success  in  achieving  a  Christian 
character,  and  the  answer  is,  the  method  does  not 
secure  the  desired  result  and  never  can  do  so.  If 
we  are  to  postpone  essential  Christian  character  as 
a  possession  only  to  be  associated  with  the  end  of 
life  we  make  the  gospel  impossible  to  a  rugged, 
rushing,  sin-enfeebled  race. 

The  moral  and  religious  history  of  mankind  re- 
veals the  fact  that  men  and  women  have  always 
moved  forward  to  the  possession  of  the  Christian 
character  by  the  law  of  crises.  The  appeals  of  God 
for  repentance  are  all  couched  in  language  that  in- 
dicates the  expectation,  possibility,  and  need  of  im- 


The  Perils  of  Religious  People  271 

mediate  action  and  the  Scriptures  everywhere  indi- 
cate that  the  response  of  God  to  man's  penitence  is 
immediate  and  determining.  So  it  is  fallacious  to 
assume  that  either  God  or  man  alone  can  solve  this 
problem  of  Christian  character  while  it  is  edifying 
to  assume  under  the  justifications  of  Holy  Writ 
that  when  God  and  man  co-operate  the  Christian 
character  is  immediately  possible  even  though  sal- 
vation and  educational  processes  go  on  to  the  end 
of  life. 

Let  us  look  yet  more  carefully  for  the  truth  as  to 
character  success.  The  Word  of  God  inspires 
faith  by  assuring  us  the  interest  of  the  living  God 
and  Savior  in  our  character  struggles.  It  also 
gives  vision  and  incites  to  the  gracious  goal.  The 
will,  the  conscience,  the  intellect,  the  affections,  to- 
gether with  our  own  human  industry,  all  make  con- 
tribution and  enter  into  co-operation  with  Almighty 
God  for  the  achievement  so  much  to  be  desired,  a 
Christian  character.  The  will  holding  as  steadily 
toward  the  claims  of  religion,  the  conscience  pun- 
gently  corroborating  the  witness  of  the  divine  word 
as  to  the  sinner's  condemnation,  the  intellect  ad- 
mitting the  reasonableness  of  the  sovereignty  of 
God  over  human  life,  the  affections  making  our 
hearts  tender  toward  a  stranger  who  has  stood  a 
long  time  at  the  door  waiting  for  welcome  from 
within,  our  industry  compelling  us  to  give  attention 
to  our  religious  needs  and  duties.  Failure  to  thus 
enlist  our  faculties  in  the  processes  of  character  suc- 
cess can  but  augment  our  guilt.  If  we  use  the  di- 


272  Torches  Aloft 

vine  prescription,  success  is  sure  to  be  ours.  We 
dare  not,  must  not  fail,  for  the  promise  of  God  is 
athwart  the  sky. 

Shall  we  conclude  our  study  of  the  perils  of  con- 
verted people  and  of  the  glorious  desirability  of 
success  in  obtaining  a  Christian  character  by  a  sum- 
mary of  our  duty  in  the  premises?  We  will  now 
resolve  to  yield  neither  to  under-expression  or  over- 
statement in  this  matter.  We  will  confront  the  facts 
as  to  whether  we  have  measured  up  to  our  guaran- 
teed possibilities  of  success  under  our  reasonable, 
even  if  exacting  ideals.  We  will  give  ourselves  to 
unflinching  intro-spection  and  then  courageously 
refuse  to  disguise  first  of  all  to  ourselves  the  fact 
that  we  have  failed  even  as  we  need  not  have  failed 
of  being  like  our  Lord  and  Savior  in  those  phases  of 
likeness  where  he  meant  us  to  be  like  him  in  this 
world.  We  will  not  be  satisfied  with  superficial  re- 
semblance to  the  purifications  that  are  ours  by 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  However  well  we  might  main- 
tain this  superficial  resemblance  it  cannot  at  all 
take  the  place  of  genuine  religious  experience  and 
power.  We  will  beware  of  even  disguised  evil- 
speaking  and  all  uncharitableness.  We  will  remem- 
ber that  a  high  price  must  always  be  paid  if  we 
would  possess  a  spirit  of  universal  love  and  fellow- 
ship. This  love  must  be  without  dissimulation. 
Genuineness  alone  is  real  power.  We  will  duly  con- 
sider that  since  religion  is  the  realm  of  vision  and 
inspiration,  the  demand  upon  us  is  for  morality  of 
the  highest  order.  We  will  be  warned  of  the  fact 


The  Perils  of  Religious  People  273 

that  the  very  sublimity  of  the  moral  conduct  which 
Christianity  enjoins  tempts  us  in  our  weakness  to 
rest  in  fine  sentiment  and  scant  realization  or 
achievement.  While  it  is  undeniably  true  that  ex- 
pediency and  conventionalism  have  entered  largely 
into  church  and  social  life,  we  will,  nevertheless 
feel  ourselves  called  upon  to  possess  an  unquench- 
able enthusiasm  for  the  highest  Christian  ideals  and 
experience.  We  will  endeavor  especially  to  keep 
ourselves  in  the  attitude  of  thoroughness  in  our  re- 
ligious life. 

We  are  convinced  that  if  we  had  more  enthusiasm 
for  that  which  is  highest  and  best  in  our  holy  Chris- 
tianity, its  triumphs  would  be  more  marked  and 
irresistible.  Knowing  that  in  proportion  to  the 
fidelity  of  the  followers  of  Christ  in  fulfilling  the 
highest  ideals  of  his  law  and  kingdom,  in  that  pro- 
portion will  religious  efficiency  be  possible  and 
manifest;  we  will  pledge  ourselves  to  self-sanctifi- 
cation  to  the  end  that  God  may  make  us  pure  and 
holy  and  that  we  may  thereby  serve  our  fellow  man 
in  the  Christianization  of  the  social  order. 


XXVI. 

SOME  MODERN  INCONGRUITIES 

Great  events  in  the  evolution  of  the  race  do  not 
come  without  order  or  relativity.  It  matters  not 
if  the  event  be  political,  religious,  or  the  birth  of  an 
important  invention,  the  above  law  holds  good. 
James  Watt  made  a  practical  application  of  steam 
in  1769,  the  American  Declaration  of  Independence 
came  in  1776,  and  the  French  Revolution  in  1789. 
Reviewed  from  this  distance,  these  events  were  all 
epoch  making.  They  all  signify  the  awakening  of 
man  to  the  exertion  of  his  powers  and  the  assertion 
of  his  rights.  For  decades  of  centuries  he  had 
struggled  for  the  mastery  which  he  felt  should  be 
his  in  the  realm  of  nature.  The  harnessing  of 
steam  to  mechanism  meant  that  henceforth  he  would 
be  able  to  command  the  forces  of  his  material  en- 
vironment for  his  comfort  and  more  ample  and  rapid 
development.  It  meant  in  short,  his  emancipation 
from  certain  forms  of  servility  and  presaged  his  re- 
lease toward  higher  development  in  every  way.  It 
meant  that  life  would  have  pressed  into  the  years  of 
an  average  career  the  possibility  of  much  larger 
achievement  by  virtue  of  the  advantages  of  rapid 
transit.  The  use  of  steam  has  accomplished  wonders 
and  the  entire  race  practically  has  felt  the  forward 
moving  impetus  which  has  resulted  therefrom. 

The  Declaration  of  Independence  and  the  French 
Revolution  were  both  expressions  of  man's  determi- 
nation for  political  emancipation  and  an  approxi- 
mate social  equality.  They  came  as  the  crest  of 


Some  Modern  Incongruities  275 

mighty  movements  in  behalf  of  the  rights  of  the 
common  people  and  embodied  the  world's  growing 
passion  for  democracy.  While  one  was  an  Old 
World  event  and  the  other  was  staged  in  the  New 
World,  they  were  parts  of  a  single  world-wide  ten- 
dency. Both  grew  out  of  the  world's  yesterdays 
and  attested  the  steady  evolution  of  civilization 
toward  a  recognition  of  the  essential  rights  of  every 
human  being  on  the  earth. 

It  was  wholly  befitting,  that,  based  on  these 
strong  and  vital  protests,  the  race  should  immedi- 
ately enter  upon  a  rapid  ascent  toward  social  equal- 
ity and  universal  well  being.  One  might  well  reckon 
that  the  lesson  from  such  significant  events  would 
be  accorded  sovereignty  in  all  quarters  gladly  and 
that  no  one  would  be  willing  to  resist  the  benevo- 
lent message  which  they,  beyond  all  question,  put 
forth.  Unfortunately  human  nature  has  a  capacity 
for  the  reactionary,  and  civilization  has  always 
found  it  necessary  to  contend  'persistently  against 
this  wily  foe  of  humaneness  and  brotherliness. 

No  sooner  was  machinery  invented  than  industry 
was  gradually  concentrated.  That  meant  that  there 
would  be  assembled  about  the  machinery,  raw  ma- 
terial, labor,  and  capital  seeking  the  large  dividend. 
Of  course,  invention  must  be  capitalized  from  some 
source  and  as  was  inevitable  it  was  forthcoming 
from  the  favored  classes  with  the  expectation  that 
it  should  be  administered  for  the  benefit  of  the  fa- 
vored classes.  Capital  unquestionably  carried  with 
its  appearance  about  the  machine  a  certain  equity, 


276  Torches  Aloft 

but  being  the  stronger  it  was  more  exposed  to  the 
temptation  to  take  advantage  by  virtue  of  its  power 
and  ride  rough  shod  over  the  less  powerful  factors 
in  a  new  and  fascinating  industrial  process. 

Passing  rapidly  over  developments  which  in  detail 
are  both  interesting  and  profitable  for  study,  the  un- 
happy ratio  in  the  increase  simultaneously  of  wealth 
and  poverty  is  a  matter  for  serious  consideration 
and  the  Church  and  the  State  must  now  tarry  for  so- 
lution of  the  problem.  Our  bountiful  resources  which 
are  the  gift  of  a  gracious  Father  are  adequate  for 
the  needs  of  all,  but  a  majority,  harassed  by  want 
and  the  fear  of  absolute  dependence  in  old  age  is 
the  unseemly  spectacle  presented.  We  are  com- 
pelled to  the  feeling  that  it  is  incongruous  to  have 
such  an  unprecedented  increase  of  wealth  in  im- 
mediate conjunction  with  a  horrifying  increase  of 
acute  poverty  which  always  has  a  strong  tendency 
to  become  chronic.  In  such  a  country  as  ours  and  in 
connection  with  the  appearance  and  general  use  of 
mechanism  which  insures  greater  profits  with  less 
effort,  ever  deepening  human  degradation  and  in- 
creasing destitution  are  unwarranted  and  appalling. 
America  stands  for  the  elevation  of  mankind  in  the 
total  and  not  simply  for  certain  favored  classes. 
When  we  allow  our  commercial  rapacity  and  greed 
to  break  down  this  principle  and  destroy  this  pas- 
sion for  the  welfare  of  all,  we  hasten  a  day  of  doom. 
The  world  has  witnessed  quite  enough  of  the  ag- 
grandizement of  the  few  at  the  expense  of  the  many 
in  other  lands  so  that  the  manifestation  of  the  like 


Some  Modern  Incongruities  277 

dominance  in  this  country  robs  us  of  all  distinguish- 
ing hope  or  expectation.  Almighty  God  knows 
nothing  about  favored  nations  except  as  they  serve 
to  universalize  the  blessings  and  comforts  of  life.  If 
America  is  to  have  any  claim  to  a  favoring  provi- 
dence it  can  only  come  as  she  advances  the  cause 
of  social  justice.  Favors  to  the  few  will  destroy  u? 
root  and  branch  while  justice  and  blessing  to  all 
will  make  the  republic  immortal. 

In  the  last  few  decades  capital  has  risen  to  power 
in  the  United  States  as  in  no  other  country  and  as  in 
no  other  age  in  human  history.  Capital  has  a  right  to 
its  own  power  equity  only  as  it  accords  to  labor  its 
merited  share  of  power.  Capital  has  certain  rights, 
but  they  are  all  forfeited  when  it  rides  rough  shod 
over  the  rights  of  humanity.  This  forfeiture  of  rights 
by  any  element  in  our  civilization  which  assails  the 
collective  welfare  is  slowly  dawning  upon  the  mind 
of  the  American  people.  That  which  becomes  pred- 
atory passes  from  the  pale  of  legal  protection. 
Capitalism  rising  to  power  through  injustice  is  out- 
lawry. Whenever  the  present  system  of  capitalism 
shall  so  demean  itself  as  to  make  it  clear  that  its 
continuance  in  its  present  power  must  mean  more 
physical  suffering  than  could  possibly  come  by  its 
overthrow  its  days  are  nearly  numbered.  That  con- 
viction in  the  minds  of  a  majority  of  American  cit- 
izens will  cause  radical  readjustments  or  a  com- 
plete social  and  industrial  revolution.  The  time 
has  passed  when  any  man  or  coterie  of  men  can  jus- 
tify to  thoughtful  Americans  the  fact  that  our 


278  Torches  Aloft 

mighty  industrialism  is  leaving  in  its  wake  so  much 
of  poverty  and  social  debris.  The  fine  ability  of  a 
few  Americans  to  accumulate  vast  and  unheard  of 
individual  wealth  with  scant  disposition  to  distribute 
it  equitably  and  the  State  failing  to  make  such  abnor- 
mal economic  conditions  impossible  can  but  mean 
a  crash  in  our  civilization.  Let  us  be  warned  in  time. 
The  only  law  of  safety  is  that  our  industrial  devel- 
opment shall  be  balanced  and  modified  by  an  equally 
intense  and  powerful  moral  and  religious  develop- 
ment. This  last  alone  can  bring  us  to  social  jus- 
tice, for  it  will  compel  appropriate  legislation.  Our 
mighty  compulsions  toward  money  making  with 
scant  compulsions  toward  ministering  to  human 
need  and  uplift,  will  make  the  words  of  the  Son  of 
man  appropriate  to  our  age  and  nation  when  he 
said,  "Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish." 
There  are  certain  forms  of  incongruity  which  pro- 
mote laughter,  but  incongruities  of  this  sort  will  fi- 
nally cause  hatred  and  end  in  revolution.  These 
blighting  aspects  of  our  civilization  are  so  out  of 
place  that  we  need  to  repent  for  not  sensing  the 
blight  and  removing  it  promptly.  Our  industrialism 
must  be  brought  to  possess  and  voice  the  passions 
of  brotherhood  and  social  righteousness.  A  remedy 
must  be  found  for  the  dreadful  effects  of  our  mod- 
ern commercial  enterprises. 

What  are  the  remedies  that  may  be  applied  to 
the  removal  of  these  fearful  social  blights  on  our 
twentieth  century  civilization?  Unquestionably  the 
encroachments  of  capital  are  such  that  labor  must 


Some  Modern  Incongruities  279 

be  generally  organized  under  correct  ideals.  If  this 
organization  is  to  count  there  must  be  at  the  front 
an  unpurchasable,  unselfish,  and  capable  leadership 
since  any  organization  fails  when  these  elements  of 
efficiency  are  wanting.  We  must  also  have  from  the 
national  government  an  impartial  and  exhaustive 
survey  of  industrial  and  social  conditions  and  the 
exact  and  full  information  when  secured  must  be 
given  out  and  a  remedy  provided  and  applied  with- 
out fear  or  favor.  The  government,  national,  state, 
county,  and  municipal  must  interpose  with  adequate 
action  in  total  disregard  of  the  criticism  from  preda- 
tory sources  that  such  action  is  paternalism.  The 
protest  from  the  managers  of  capitalistic  enterprises 
that  they  have  the  sole  right  to  decide  as  to  what 
shall  be  charged  the  public  for  the  service  rendered 
by  the  utility  corporations  because  they  are  experts 
and  specialists  and  that  the  interference  by  state  and 
national  commissions  is  bad  policy  because  the  men 
who  compose  these  commissions  are  without  ex- 
perience in  conducting  such  big  enterprises  is  not 
well  grounded.  Deference  should  for  obvious  rea- 
sons be  paid  to  the  contentions  of  the  men  who  ad- 
minister for  the  big  utilities,  but  all  human  experi- 
ence shows  that  it  would  be  an  act  of  unsophis- 
ticated self-immolation  to  leave  the  public  entirely 
at  their  mercy  and  discretion.  It  is  a  display  of 
both  egotism  and  presumption  for  the  managers  of 
big  business  to  assume  such  an  attitude  as  above  in- 
dicated toward  the  modern,  well-timed  effort  at 
governmental  regulation  of  utility  corporations. 


280  Torches  Aloft 

The  policy  of  allowing  big  business  to  go  ahead 
in  the  exercise  of  its  own  self-imposed  con- 
trol has  been  tried  and  found  wanting.  Human 
nature  has  not  reached  that  stage  of  unsel- 
fishness and  sensitiveness  to  the  welfare  of  the 
public  as  to  make  such  a  policy  safe  or  desirable 
from  any  viewpoint.  The  people  do  well  to  require 
that  the  government  shall  place  in  service  for  just 
control  an  intermediary  in  the  form  of  a  commission 
to  represent  the  rights  and  interests  of  the  public 
and  which  intermediary  while  being  just  and  fair  to 
the  corporation,  shall  be  responsible  to  the  people. 
Many  of  the  policies  that  should  govern  in  the  busi- 
ness world  are  simply  questions  of  fidelity  to  the  ac- 
credited ethical  principles  and  the  supreme  requisite 
for  the  commissioner  is  moral  integrity  and  a  keen 
sense  of  social  justice  rather  than  identification  with 
or  technical  knowledge  of  the  operations  of  the 
public  service  corporations. 

The  day  is  at  hand  when  only  those  business 
processes  and  methods  that  are  approved  by  a  con- 
sensus of  intelligent  public  opinion  can  be  sure  of 
perpetuity.  Public  opinion  is  to  be  the  real  and 
supreme  law  of  the  land.  In  the  past  the  policy  has 
been  to  keep  the  public  in  the  dark  as  to  the  methods 
the  big  business  enterprises  are  operating,  under 
which  and  this  holding  of  the  public  at  a  distance 
instead  of  cultivating  confidence  and  good  will  has 
not  had  a  happy  effect.  The  people  are  going  to  rule 
in  America  and  if  the  insistent  social  conscience 
which  we  are  rapidly  engendering  is  not  controlled 


Some  Modern  Incongruities  281 

by  a  public  opinion  made  intelligent  by  the  mutual 
desire  and  co-operation  of  big  business  and  the  peo- 
ple we  shall  invite  trouble.  It  is  right  that  the  pub- 
lic conscience  should  be  aroused  and  it  is  essential 
that  the  public  opinion  should  be  informed  openly, 
genuinely,  and  fully.  Destructive  radicalism  and 
non-progressive  conservatism  are  imminent  perils 
in  the  present  situation.  The  hour  demands  the 
universalizing  of  the  tranformations  and  controls  of 
genuine  Christianity.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  capi- 
talism may  on  its  own  initiative  recognize  its  evils 
and  voluntarily  correct  them. 

There  are  certain  aggravating  tendencies  growing 
out  of  the  present  attitude  and  methods  of  capital- 
ism that  should  be  remedied  without  the  pressure 
of  legislative  action.  Such  a  voluntary  adjustment 
by  capital  to  the  new  social  conscience  will  have  a 
most  wholesome  influence  on  the  present  disturbed 
conditions  which  have  in  them  the  possibilities  of  so- 
cial revolution.  There  will  be  some  temporary  dis- 
comfort in  reversing  any  vicious  policy  and  correct- 
ing any  evil  tendency,  but  that  must  not  deter  us 
from  genuine  reforms.  Our  tremendous  accumula- 
tions of  wealth  must  be  balanced  by  constructive  dis- 
tributions of  this  element  in  modern  social  progress, 
which  is  appreciated  now  as  never  before  in  the 
history  of  mankind.  All  abnormal  accumulations 
of  individual  wealth  have  an  inevitable  tendency  to 
produce  abnormal  social  irritation.  In  the  present 
stage  of  civilization  this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 


282  Torches  Aloft 

and  if  we  did  wonder  at  it  the  facts  would  not  be 
changed  by  our  wonder. 

The  forces,  agencies,  and  institutions  that  are  re- 
sponsible for  moral  standards  and  insight  must  be 
awakened  and  their  leadership  and  service  made  effi- 
cient in  the  present  social  urgency.  Our  American 
civilization  is  in  a  fearful  turmoil  and  all  classes  are 
hungry  for  the  voice  and  passion  of  brotherhood. 
We  are  shrinking  with  acute  pain  from  the  thrusts 
of  one  class  of  contending  persons  and  interests  into 
the  other  and  we  are  in  great  anxiety  for  confidences 
that  will  not  disappoint  and  mock  us.  Who  will  ex- 
emplify and  pass  on  the  social  righteousness  and 
integrity  which  we  all  so  much  desire  in  public  and 
individual  life?  Will  you,  and  you,  and  you? 

One  reason  why  the  problem  of  dealing  with  the 
great  wealth  of  America  while  at  the  same  time  sat- 
isfying the  demands  of  an  awakening  social  con- 
science is  difficult,  is  because  the  centralization  of 
capital  as  obtaining  in  America  to-day  has  no  prece- 
dent in  all  history.  To  be  sure  the  world  has  had 
wealth  and  much  of  it  in  all  ages  in  the  comparative 
sense,  but  such  concentration  of  vast  accumulations 
in  the  hands  of  a  few  men  has  never  obtained  as  it 
now  obtains  in  our  country.  No  wonder  every  seri- 
ous-minded citizen  feels  that  the  fact  is  becoming  a 
distinct  test  to  our  democratic  institutions.  Admit- 
tedly social  justice  is  not  probable  without  extreme 
care  as  against  the  irritations  that  are  arising  be- 
tween capital  and  the  laboring  classes.  Even  under 
our  popular  form  of  government  we  shall  not  be  de- 


Some  Modern  Incongruities  283 

livered  from  admitted  peril  unless  forceful  conten- 
tions are  made  and  a  judicial  and  well  tempered  mind 
shall  obtain  among  all  classes  of  people.  True  we 
have  the  ballot,  but  even  that  vehicle  of  popular 
sovereignty  is  no  guarantee  of  safety  unless  the 
people  are  impartially  informed  and  kept  alert  and 
aggressive  in  behalf  of  real  and  all  around  social 
justice.  The  ballot  was  designed  as  a  weapon  of  of- 
fense and  defense,  but  it  lapses  into  a  hollow  sham 
unless  kept  uncorrupted  and  used  by  a  citizenship 
of  high  intelligence  and  exalted  character.  Capital- 
ism needs  to  restrain  itself  from  the  creation  of  two 
contending  classes  and  the  government  must  assist 
toward  such  self  control  by  appropriate  legislation. 
Beyond  all  question  and  notwithstanding  all  of  our 
democratic  traditions,  no  country  on  earth  to-day 
has  such  a  plutocracy  as  has  the  United  States.  The 
responsibility  for  such  a  condition  is  a  total  respon- 
sibility and  America  must  act  quickly  and  sanely 
because  both  our  momentum  and  speed  are  unprece- 
dented. The  moral  element  underlies  and  enters 
into  every  condition  and  trend  of  society  so  that  our 
social  salvation  is  dependent  upon  the  prevalence 
and  maintenance  of  high  moral  qualities  in  our  cit- 
izenship. A  well  nigh  universal  social  and  spiritual 
regeneration  of  our  people  is  to  be  expected  and 
sought.  The  moral  and  spiritual  power  of  Christi- 
anity alone  is  equal  to  such  a  task.  This  gracious 
power  is  happily  available.  Without  stint  it  is  of- 
fered to  us  all  on  terms  which  are  within  the  reach 
of  all.  In  the  meeting  of  these  terms  we  do  but 


284  Torches  Aloft 

intensify  every  divine  element  of  our  nature  and  put 
ourselves  in  the  way  of  true  life  efficiency.  Since 
such  a  power  is  available  there  should  be  no  hesita- 
tion in  using  it. 

The  incongruities  which  have  been  so  inade- 
quately discussed  in  this  chapter  are  not  hopelessly 
attached  to  our  social  life.  We  may  remove  them  if 
we  will  and  there  is  encouragement  in  the  fact  that 
we  feel  our  social  wrongs  keenly  and  the  spirit  of 
protest  is  abroad  in  the  land.  The  cry  of  the  op- 
pressed shall  be  heard  and  all  shall  be  happier  for 
the  hearing.  Impartial  justice  to  business  great  and 
business  small  shall  in  much  larger  measure  be 
meted  out  and  then  we  shall  all  wonder  why  we  did 
not  think  of  it  long  ago.  We  are  going  to  be  able 
to  see  one  of  these  good  days  that  the  welfare  of  one 
class  is  impossible  in  any  final  sense  until  it  is  di- 
rectly related  to  the  welfare  of  all  classes.  Any 
injury  to  the  industrial  workers  must  react  and  be 
felt  in  a  damaging  way  by  the  capitalist.  We  shall 
discover  that  the  advantage  of  any  portion  of  our 
population  must  not  be  at  such  fearful  and  un- 
called for  privation  to  some  other  portion.  Added 
encouragement  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  the 
temper  of  the  average  mind  is  coming  to  be  such 
that  the  whole  status  is  being  more  generally  dis- 
cussed with  calm  and  dispassionate  interest.  Men 
are  saying  let  us  hear  and  study  all  sides  of  the 
mooted  questions  and  get  at  the  exact  and  impartial 
truth.  Then  when  we  have  collected  and  organized 
the  facts,  let  us  build  our  policies  on  lines  of  broad 
and  collective  justice. 


XXVII. 

AWAKENING  AMERICA 

All  the  zones  of  American  thought  life  are  to-day 
vibrant  with  a  new  social  passion.  Go  where  you 
will,  talk  with  whom  you  will,  mingle  with  any 
class  you  will,  and  you  will  find  immediate  interest 
in  economic  questions  and  conditions  and  their  re- 
lation to  the  total  welfare.  Even  the  leaders  in 
big  business  are  showing  themselves  sensitive  to 
the  advance  of  public  sentiment  as  to  financial 
methods  which  are  passing  under  censure  because 
the  said  methods  are  adjudged  injurious  to  public 
welfare.  The  question  of  financial  success  is  raised 
but  it  is  followed  at  once  with  the  inquiry  as  to 
whether  the  financial  success  is  by  such  methods  as 
to  be  hurtful  to  society.  A  new  guardianship  of 
society,  as  well  as  a  new  responsibility  for  society 
is  in  evidence.  No  one  wishes  our  financial  prosper- 
ity impaired,  but  an  increasingly  large  number  of 
people  are  asking  that  all  financial  prosperity  yield 
to  such  restraints  as  the  generous  good  of  all  the 
people  shall  require. 

The  principles  and  controls  of  Christianity  are 
going  into  our  economic  life  with  a  new  imperative 
and  a  much  fuller  dimension  than  ever  before.  Our 
democracy  is  the  result  and  concomitant  of  our 
Christianity.  Both  must  have  concrete  expression 
in  our  economic  development.  The  laws  of  eco- 
nomic efficiency  require  such  a  distribution  of  wealth 


286  Torches  Aloft 

as  will  provide  for  the  church,  the  state,  the  family, 
and  the  individual,  adequately.  This  law  and  its 
concrete  expression  as  above  indicated  are  impos- 
sible except  as  we  yield  ourselves  in  a  fine  fidelity 
to  the  laws  of  Christ  and  democracy.  We  have  been 
guilty  of  much  financial  sinning  and  as  usual  the 
sinning  is  bearing  fruit.  It  was  ever  so.  Christi- 
anity in  big  financial  enterprises  is  not  an  impossi- 
bility. The  comradeship  is  not  incompatible  and  al- 
ways contributes  to  human  progress.  It  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  perceive  how  one  might  be  too  successful 
in  business.  This  would  be  so  when  the  accumula- 
tions were  made  by  violations  of  Christian  princi- 
ples and  also  if  the  accumulations  were  of  such  pro- 
portions as  to  overcome  the  consecration  to  God  and 
the  sense  of  stewardship.  It  is  clearly  a  violation 
of  Christ's  law  of  life  that  we  should  accumulate 
by  entailing  privation  and  poverty  upon  others. 
Unless  one  can  look  Jesus  the  Christ  in  the  face  and 
declare  that  his  business  success  has  embodied  the 
square  deal  and  has  not  violated  a  single  right  of  a 
single  individual  he  may  rest  assured  that  he  has 
been  too  successful  in  business.  This  is  Christian 
principle  applied  to  money  making  and  shows  how 
carefully  an  all-wise  God  has  guarded  the  economic 
welfare  of  every  human  being  on  the  earth. 

Another  feature  of  the  thinking,  incident  to  an 
Awakening  America  is  the  popular  verdict  that  it  is 
un-American  that  a  very  small  minority  shall  be 
major  owners  of  American  wealth.  The  average  of 
intelligence  and  economic  aspiration  among  Ameri- 


Awakening  America  287 

cans  has  become  such  that  the  viewpoint  which  al- 
lows that  most  of  our  people  are  to  be  reconciled  to 
live  in  poverty  is  no  longer  to  go  unchallenged.  The 
demand  is  for  the  reversal  of  this  condition  for  all 
industrious  and  deserving  people  until  poverty  shall 
be  done  away.  Why  should  not  this  ideal  dominate 
all  civilized  minds  since  it  is  self-evident  that  moder- 
ate wealth  so  distributed  as  to  afford  the  economic 
basis  for  general  domestic  efficiency  and  comfort 
would  set  forward  human  progress  immeasurably. 
Industrial  control  of  the  many  by  the  few  for  the 
benefit  of  the  few  is  equally  undemocratic  and  un- 
American.  The  government  and  the  courts  as  em- 
bodying the  judicial  verdict  of  the  government  must 
resist  the  temptation  and  tendency  to  become  un- 
democratic, for  if  they  do  not  we  shall  be  governed 
by  subtle,  disguised  and  unsocialized  forces.  Gov- 
ernment by  any  unsocialized  force  is  destructive. 

Ours  being  a  democratic  form  of  government  the 
matter  of  elections  without  financial  control  of  same 
becomes  immediately  important  and  vital.  Capital 
has  not  hesitated  to  undertake  a  control  of  the 
electorate  by  purchase  and  as  in  the  case  of  all 
wrong  doing  the  immoral  deed  reacts  on  the  guilty 
party.  Awakening  America  is  beginning  to  realize 
that  unless  the  ballot  is  kept  uncontaminated  the 
seeds  of  anarchy  are  afforded  a  seed  bed  and  no 
settled  order  of  society  is  safe  when  the  seeds  begin 
to  grow.  It  will  indeed  be  a  sad  day  for  the  republic 
when  the  people  know  that  there  are  interests  that 
do  not  hesitate  to  pervert  the  most  fundamental  in 


288  Torches  Aloft 

strument  of  our  free  government.  A  sad  day  when 
they  understand  that  the  verdict  of  the  ballots  is 
not  to  be  trusted  and  revered  because  not  genuine. 
In  order  to  safeguard  against  the  financial  control 
of  elections  it  has  become  necessary  to  compel  both 
publicity  and  limitation  as  to  the  use  of  money  in 
connection  with  elections.  Because  big  business 
has  often  secured  control  of  nominating  conven- 
tions Awakening  America  has  been  driven  to  direct 
nominations,  as  it  is  obviously  impossible  to  corrupt 
all  the  people.  We  started  out  with  the  assumption 
that  representative  government  could  be  trusted, 
but  experience  has  shown  that  it  cannot  and  so  we 
have  been  compelled  to  adopt  the  principle  of  direct 
government  by  the  initiative  and  the  referendum. 
The  first  war  of  independence  was  for  the  right  of 
representative  government,  but  a  second  war  of  in- 
dependence has  been  made  necessary  and  it  is  now 
being  waged.  It  has  not  been  brought  on  by  irre- 
sponsible agitators,  but  by  the  most  patriotic  and 
thoughtful  of  American  citizens.  It  is  the  awaken- 
ing of  the  American  heart  and  conscience. 

Investigation,  publicity,  and  the  facts  are  doing 
the  work.  The  light  has  disclosed  a  nest  of  vipers 
and  America  is  pledged  to  rob  the  vipers  of  their 
evil  power.  Awakening  America  is  ready  to  repent 
of  the  national  sins  and  clean  the  page  of  each  un- 
happy vestige  of  dishonor.  From  the  investigation 
of  insurance  finance  in  New  York  by  Governor 
Hughes  until  the  report  of  the  Vice  Commission  in 
Chicago,  there  has  been  a  steady  rise  in  the  stand- 


Awakening  America  289 

ards  of  morality  in  civil  government.  With  the  rise 
of  collective  morality  and  the  reign  of  the  Christian 
conscience  in  business,  some  of  our  brothers  will 
be  happier  if  they  shall  disgorge  their  abnormal  pos- 
sessions for  the  public  welfare  and  it  should  come  in 
the  form  of  social  justice  rather  than  as  donations  to 
charity.  Our  civilization  has  suffered  from  a  fever- 
ish financial  lust,  but  the  fever  will  yet  subside  and 
a  sense  of  shame  grow  in  its  stead. 

Awakening  America  is  saying  in  kindness  but  in 
much  earnestness  that  predatory  wealth  has  gone 
the  full  length  of  the  rope  and  the  rope  is  not  to  be 
lengthened.  In  fact  the  leash  is  at  hand.  In  money 
matters,  it  has  been  felt  that  the  tide  was  going  out, 
and  increasing  hardship  was  to  be  expected  as  a 
matter  of  course,  but  the  tide  is  coming  in  and 
money  is  to  be  sanctified  by  a  better  heart  and  a 
growing  passion  for  social  justice.  Oppression  has 
been  reckoned  as  an  aspect  of  the  dark  ages,  but 
we  have  detected  its  survival  in  modern  life.  Be- 
cause the  survival  is  incongruous  there  is  rising  a 
new  indignation  against  the  survival  in  any  form 
whatsoever.  Along  with  the  growing  indignation 
against  oppression,  America  has  come  to  feelings 
of  intense  censure  for  dishonesty  of  the  big  sort, 
and  is  compelling  a  reappraisement  of  its  real 
character.  It  is  being  classified  with  any  other 
act  of  social  violence  and  brigandage.  This  could 
not  be  if  it  were  not  for  the  fact  that  the  nation 
as  to  a  social  conscience,  is  being  born  anew  and 
from  above.  The  birth  pains  an  even  now  on  and 


290  Torches  Aloft 

the  nation  is  to  have  a  new  joy  day.  We  are  com- 
ing to  see  and  feel  just  how  sacred  are  the  ties  of 
human  brotherhood  because  the  conscience  that  was 
adolescent  and  quiescent  has  moved  forward  toward 
a  mighty  manhood. 

Another  proof  of  an  Awakening  America  is  the 
fact  that  the  social  ideals  of  Christianity,  some  of 
which  are  practically  new  discoveries,  are  being  wel- 
comed by  the  serious  American  mind.  The  capacity 
to  receive  into  its  intellectual  life  essentially  new 
ideals  is  complimentary  to  any  age  or  people  and 
especially  so  when  economic  questions  are  involved. 
The  social  ideals  of  Christianity  are  only  new  in  the 
sense  that  the  age  has  a  capacity  for  their  apprecia- 
tion and  use  which  has  not  formerly  existed.  As  a 
result  of  the  quickened  appreciation  of  these  social 
ideals  the  constructive  will  is  manifest  as  it  has  not 
been  hitherto,  and  there  is  rigidity  and  firmness 
where  there  was  once  supineness  and  lamb-like  res- 
ignation to  pronounced  social  wrongs.  There  is  also 
a  growing  impatience  with  cowardice  in  leaders  or 
in  the  rank  and  file.  Men  are  expected  to  stand  and 
be  counted  and  to  be  unafraid.  The  old  school  of 
political  leaders  are  being  treated  to  political  osler- 
ization  and  their  places  taken  in  the  esteem  of  the 
people  by  men  of  advanced  moral  character.  The 
new  moral  leadership  is  here  in  response  to  a  real 
demand,  and  the  followers  of  such  leadership  are  an 
increasing  host.  The  public  mind  is  not  so  amateur- 
ish and  unsophisticated  as  formerly.  It  detects  and 
analyzes  motives  and  is  not  so  gullible  as  certain 


Awakening  America  291 

types  of  political  manipulators  would  have  it  be.  It 
has  a  fine  discernment  of  newspaper  mendacious- 
ness  and  refuses  to  be  influenced  by  any  newspaper 
which  has  not  an  established  reputation  for  genuine- 
ness. 

One  hears  the  remark  often  that  certain  news- 
papers afford  the  news,  but  you  cannot  trust  either 
their  headlines  or  their  editorials.  They  have  lost 
their  influence  by  playing  fast  and  loose  with  moral 
principles  until  no  impartial  and  informed  mind  ac- 
cepts their  proffered  leadership  in  anything.  They 
are  deceiving  fewer  people  every  day  because  the 
public  has  taken  their  true  measurements.  They 
have  no  one  to  blame  but  themselves  for  the  great 
loss  of  influence  which  they  are  now  experiencing. 

Awakening  America  is  releasing  on  our  social 
problems  a  new  social  energy,  and  it  is  becoming  a 
force  to  be  reckoned  with  in  every  appeal  to  the 
public.  Tasks  that  would  have  been  regarded  as  im- 
possible a  few  years  ago,  even  though  their  achieve- 
ment admittedly  would  have  set  forward  human 
progress,  are  now  undertaken  with  determination, 
and  a  victory  soon  secured.  The  growing  feeling 
that  the  thing  that  ought  to  be  done  is  the  thing 
that  can  be  done  is  a  distinct  national  asset  for 
which  all  who  wish  America  well  may  be  truly 
grateful.  When  the  moral  pulse  of  the  people  is 
feeble,  all  the  constructive  processes  of  civilization 
are  held  back  and  barnacles  attach  to  the  ship  of 
state.  The  fresh  water  immersion  that  will  scrape 
them  off  is  the  new  social  energy.  Moral  grit  is  a 


292  Torches  Aloft 

fine  commodity  in  which  more  men  are  having  hon- 
orable mention  than  formerly.  It  is  as  refreshing 
as  the  hours  just  after  a  June  rain  or  an  autumnal 
frost  to  feel  that  the  nation  is  rising  up  in  moral 
courage  to  remove  the  impediments  to  social  prog- 
ress, and  to  observe  that  a  real  reformer  is  no 
longer  looked  upon  as  a  harmless  curiosity.  Battle- 
ships and  forts,  swords  and  guns  are  yet  to  be  dis- 
placed, and  boards  of  arbitration  will  yet  take  their 
place  in  the  settlement  of  differences  between  na- 
tions. Heart  and  mind  are  to  rule  instead  of  brute 
force,  and  militant  goodness  is  to  cover  the  earth. 
The  religious  spirit  is  growing  outside  the  church 
and  the  social  awakening  is  gripping  the  Church  so 
that  the  total  result  is  gratifying.  The  ultimate 
will  be  a  better  appreciation  of  the  Church  and  a 
better  service  by  the  Church  to  daily  human  neces- 
sity. Beyond  question  the  Church  is  taking  on  a 
new  interest  in  what  has  been  called  the  humanita- 
rian movements.  These  are  no  longer  regarded  as 
secular  matters  to  be  left  to  secular  agencies.  The 
Church  is  discovering  the  social  application  of 
Christianity  and  is  growing  in  courage  to  apply  what 
is  discovered.  She  is  beginning  to  talk  seriously 
about  collective  welfare  and  social  justice.  Enthu- 
siasm for  the  public  welfare  and  the  most  advanced 
programs  for  social  progress  are  being  accepted  as 
a  part  of  religion.  The  churches  are  coming  to  see 
that  the  installation  of  the  kingdom  of  God  on  the 
earth  is  the  supreme  purpose  of  Christianity.  The 
Church  is  an  integral  part  of  the  nation  and  if  she 


Awakening  America  293 

will  accept  her  ordained  place  in  the  leadership  of 
the  movement  for  social  equity  and  progress,  we 
shall  witness  the  greatest  revival  of  religion  in  all 
history.  In  the  current  social  awakening  the  Church 
has  the  opportunity  of  this  generation  and  should 
not  fail  to  gather  its  real  significance.  It  is  as  if  God 
had  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Church  a  lever  for 
uplifting  the  masses  to  kingdom  levels.  This  is  the 
supreme  hour  for  redemptive  passion  and  social 
idealism.  Both  of  these  are  now  to  harness  them- 
selves to  the  concrete  task.  All  about  there  is  a  vast 
deal  of  nebulous  social  passion  which  must  be  called 
out  for  enlightenment  and  better  form.  Our  indus- 
trial slavery,  which  is  in  some  aspects  harsher  and 
meaner  than  African  slavery  must  be  done  away  and 
our  mighty  capitalism  must  be  brought  to  a  human- 
ism it  has  not  as  yet  exemplified.  Sunday  schools 
and  churches  should  lead  in  providing  study  classes 
and  clubs  for  the  study  of  the  social  teachings  of 
Jesus  and  for  social  conditions  as  they  now  exist. 
A  fine  literature  is  available  for  such  study  and  it 
should  be  generally  utilized.  Our  foreign  mission- 
aries home  on  furlough  find  it  difficult  to  account 
for  our  supineness  before  gigantic  social  evils  which 
they  believe  under  our  commanding  advantage 
as  Christians  in  a  land  so  favored  as  ours, 
should  be  forced  from  the  field.  Central  in  pro- 
phetic idealism  is  the  bringing  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  into  the  social  order  and  it  is  an  appeal- 
ing task.  Christian  leaders  must  think  through 
to  a  complete  Christian  program  for  society.  It  is 


294  Torches  Aloft 

quite  clear  that  full  modern  social  responsibility 
will  not  readily  be  accepted  by  the  Church  just  as  it 
is  not  by  the  State,  but  we  must  hold  on  for  it  in 
rugged  determination.  What  no  government  ever 
has  done  or  ever  can  do  the  Church  can  and  must 
do.  She  will  shrivel,  decay  and  die  if  she  shall  pre- 
sume to  evade  her  mighty  task.  The  law  of  the  Cross 
which  is  sacrificial  life  is  her  supreme  law.  She  has 
created  a  civilization  which  is  now  facing  toward 
her  in  a  severe  test  of  her  leadership.  She  dare  not, 
must  not  fail. 

Finally,  we  must  rest  our  plea  for  the  beneficent 
ministries  in  modern  civilization  with  our  patient 
readers.  It  has  been  our  hope  to  make  some  modest 
contribution  to  the  inspiration  of  American  leader- 
ship, commercial,  financial,  political,  educational, 
and  ecclesiastical,  to  the  end  that  Awakening  Amer- 
ica may  evolve  the  New  America  of  which  our 
prophets  are  already  having  visions.  The  torches 
are  aloft,  the  age  tendencies  have  helped  us  to  be 
thoughtful,  ministerial  leadership  has  been  asked  to 
meet  a  critical  situation  with  befitting  celerity  and 
wisdom,  administrative  officers  of  the  churches  have 
been  asked  to  consider  the  call  to  co-operation  in  the 
Christianization  of  America,  an  honest  effort  has 
been  made  to  locate  some  of  the  ills  to  which  hu- 
manity is  heir,  current  changes  have  been  indicated 
and  an  effort  made  to  interpret  their  message  to  the 
religious  world,  we  have  tarried  before  the  inspiring 
conception  of  one  religion  for  all  men,  attention  has 
been  drawn  to  the  vital  relation  between  religion 


Awakening  America  295 

and  social  reform,  the  upward  pull  of  Christianity 
has  been  noted,  democracy  and  government  have 
been  presented  for  deeper  study,  an  effort  has  been 
made  to  secure  a  better  appreciation  for  the  present 
social  urgency,  socialism  and  capitalism  have  been 
studied  earnestly  and  dispassionately,  encourage- 
ment as  well  as  warning  have  been  sought  in  observ- 
ing certain  significant  developments  in  the  com- 
mercial world,  our  hearts  have  warmed  and  sympa- 
thies broadened  while  we  thought  of  the  coming  ca- 
tholicism,  testimony  has  been  borne  as  to  the  empti- 
ness of  some  modern  fallacies,  we  have  taken  a 
glance  at  the  early  church  in  relation  to  social  wel- 
fare so  that  we  might  the  better  comprehend  the 
duty  of  the  church  in  social  progress,  we  have 
sought  light  on  all  these  problems  by  taking  a  look 
into  the  aims  of  Christ,  we  have  added  to  our  convic- 
tion as  to  the  social  efficiency  of  Christianity  by  sur- 
veying Christ's  method  for  an  efficient  humanity,  we 
have  looked  over  the  functions  and  adaptations  of 
three  giants  at  work  for  a  worthy  citizenship,  some 
things  that  are  being  overlooked  in  current  think- 
ing were  examined  carefully  and  our  minds  were 
prepared  to  consider  the  virtues,  faults,  objectives, 
and  perils  of  religious  people,  some  modern  incon- 
gruities were  rebuked,  and  all  with  the  hope  that  an 
awakened  America  should  rise  up  in  the  power  of 
practical  righteousness  and  lead  the  world  toward 
God  and  social  efficiency. 


296  Torches  Aloft 


Ode  to  America 

"Land  that  we  love !  Thou  future  of  the  world ! 
Thou  refuge  of  the  noble  heart  oppressed ! 
Oh,  never  be  thy  shining  image  hurled 
From  its  high  place  in  the  adoring  breast 
Of  him  who  worships  thee  with  jealous  love! 
Keep  thou  thy  starry  forehead  as  the  dove 
All  white,  and  to  the  eternal  dawn  inclined ! 
Thou  art  not  for  thyself,  but  for  mankind, 
And  to  despair  of  thee  were  to  despair 
Of  man,  of  man's  high  destiny,  of  God." 
"Worthy  art  thou,  our  Lord  and  God,  to  receive  all 
praise,  and  honor,  and  power,  for  thou  didst  create 
all  things,  and  at  thy  bidding  they  came  into  being 
and  were  created." 

"Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  sacrificed  to  re- 
ceive all  power,  and  wealth,  and  wisdom,  and  might, 
and  honor,  and  praise,  and  blessing." 

"To  the  only  wise  God  our  Saviour  be  glory, 
dominion  and  power,  both  now  and  forever.  Amen." 

"King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords." 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


Series  9482 


'85T  001 921 


